Swiss Names

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
gender
usage
Corrado m Italian
Italian form of Conrad. This was a 14th-century saint from Piacenza, Italy.
Cosette f French, Literature
From French chosette meaning "little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
Cosima f Italian
Italian feminine form of Cosimo.
Cosimo m Italian
Italian form of Cosmas. A famous bearer was Cosimo de' Medici (1389-1464), the founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.
Cosma m Italian
Italian form of Cosmas.
Cosmo m Italian, English
Italian variant of Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.
Costantino m Italian
Italian form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Costanza f Italian
Italian feminine form of Constans.
Costanzo m Italian
Italian form of Constans.
Crescentia f German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Crescentius. Saint Crescentia was a 4th-century companion of Saint Vitus. This is also the name of the eponymous heroine of a 12th-century German romance.
Crescenzo m Italian
Italian form of Crescentius.
Cristiana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Christina.
Cristiano m Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Christian. A famous bearer is Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (1985-).
Cristina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Romanian form of Christina.
Cristoforo m Italian
Italian form of Christopher.
Crocifissa f Italian (Rare)
Means "crucifix" in Italian, derived from Latin crucifixus "fixed to a cross", from crux "cross" and fixus "fixed, fastened".
Cunégonde f French (Rare)
French form of Kunigunde. Voltaire used this name in his novel Candide (1759).
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Cyriaque m French
French form of Cyriacus. This name is currently most common in parts of French-influenced Africa.
Cyrielle f French
French feminine form of Cyril.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Cyrille m & f French
French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Dafne f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Daphne.
Dagmar f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, Czech, Slovak
From the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.
Dagobert m Germanic, German
Means "bright day", derived from Old Frankish dag or Old High German tag meaning "day" combined with Old Frankish berht or Old High German beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Merovingian king of the Franks.... [more]
Dalila f French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical Latin
Form of Delilah used in the Latin Old Testament, as well as in French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
Damiana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Damian.
Damiano m Italian
Italian form of Damian.
Damien m French
French form of Damian.
Dana 1 f Romanian, Czech, Slovak, German, Hebrew
Feminine form of Daniel or Dan 1.
Dania 1 f Italian
Italian diminutive of Daniela.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.... [more]
Danièle f French
French feminine form of Daniel.
Daniele m Italian
Italian form of Daniel.
Danielle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Daniel. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
Danila 2 f Italian
Italian feminine form of Daniel.
Danilo m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian
Form of Daniel in various languages.
Dante m Italian
Medieval short form of Durante. The most notable bearer of this name was Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the Italian poet who wrote the Divine Comedy.
Dany m & f French
French diminutive of Daniel or Danielle.
Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Daria f Italian, Polish, Romanian, English, Croatian, Russian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Darius. Saint Daria was a 3rd-century woman who was martyred with her husband Chrysanthus under the Roman emperor Numerian. It has never been a particularly common English given name. As a Russian name, it is more commonly transcribed Darya.
Dario m Italian, Croatian
Italian form of Darius.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.... [more]
Davide m Italian
Italian form of David.
Débora f Spanish, Portuguese, French (Rare)
Spanish, Portuguese and French form of Deborah.
Debora f Italian, Dutch, German (Rare)
Italian, Dutch and German form of Deborah.
Déborah f French
French variant form of Deborah.
Delfina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Delphina.
Délia f Portuguese, French, Hungarian
Portuguese, French and Hungarian form of Delia 1.
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek Mythology
Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
Delphine f French
French form of Delphina.
Demetra f Italian (Rare), Romanian (Rare), Greek
Italian and Romanian form of Demeter 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Greek Δήμητρα (see Dimitra).
Demetrio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Demetrius.
Denis m French, Russian, English, German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Romanian, Croatian, Albanian
From Denys or Denis, the medieval French forms of Dionysius. Saint Denis was a 3rd-century missionary to Gaul and the first bishop of Paris. He was martyred by decapitation, after which legend says he picked up his own severed head and walked for a distance while preaching a sermon. He is credited with converting the Gauls to Christianity and is considered the patron saint of France.... [more]
Denise f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Denis.
Dennis m English, German, Dutch
Usual English, German and Dutch form of Denis.
Déodat m French (Rare)
French form of Deodatus.
Desideria f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Desiderio. This was the Latin name of a 19th-century queen of Sweden, the wife of Karl XIV. She was born in France with the name Désirée.
Desiderio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Desiderius.
Désiré m French
Masculine form of Désirée.
Désirée f French, Dutch, German
French form of Desiderata. In part it is directly from the French word meaning "desired, wished".
Detlef m Low German, German
Derived from Old High German diota, Old Saxon thiod meaning "people" and Old High German leiba, Old Saxon leva meaning "remainder, remnant, legacy".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Diane f French, English
French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.
Didi m German
Diminutive of Dieter.
Didier m French
French form of Desiderius.
Diederich m German (Archaic)
German variant of Dietrich.
Diedrich m German
German form of Theodoric.
Diego m Spanish, Italian
Spanish name, possibly a shortened form of Santiago. In medieval records Diego was Latinized as Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek διδαχή (didache) meaning "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain.... [more]
Dierk m German
Variant of Dirk.
Dieter m German
Means "warrior of the people", derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and heri meaning "army". This name is also used as a short form of Dietrich.
Dietfried m German (Rare)
Means "peace of the people" from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and fridu meaning "peace".
Diethard m German
German form of Theodard.
Diethelm m German
Derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and helm meaning "helmet, protection".
Diether m German
Variant of Dieter.
Dietlinde f German
From the Germanic name Theodelinda, derived from the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". Theodelinda was a 6th-century Bavarian princess who became queen of the Lombards.
Dietmar m German
German form of Theudemer.
Dietrich m German
German form of Theodoric. The character Dietrich von Bern, loosely based on Theodoric the Great, appears in medieval German literature such as the Hildebrandslied, the Nibelungenlied and the Eckenlied.
Dieudonné m French
Means "given by God" in French, used as a French form of Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.
Diletta f Italian
Means "beloved" in Italian, from Latin dilectus.
Dimitri m Russian, Georgian, French
Russian variant of Dmitriy, as well as the Georgian form.
Dina 1 f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Latvian, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Form of Dinah in several languages, as well as the form in the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Dina 2 f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English
Short form of names ending in dina, such as Bernardina or Ondina. As an English name, this can also be a variant of Deanna.
Dino m Italian, Croatian
Short form of names ending in dino or tino.
Diodato m Italian
Italian form of Deodatus.
Diodore m French (Rare)
French form of Diodorus.
Dionigi m Italian
Italian variant of Dionisio.
Dionisia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Dionysius.
Dionisio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Dionysius.
Dirk m Dutch, Low German, German, English
Dutch and Low German short form of Diederik. This name was borne by several counts of Frisia and Holland, beginning in the 10th century. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.
Dita f Czech, German, Latvian
Short form of names containing dit, such as Judita, and German names beginning with Diet, such as Dietlinde.
Domenica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Dominik m German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Polish, Hungarian, Croatian
Form of Dominic used in various languages.
Dominique f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domitilla f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Domitius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.
Domitille f French
French form of Domitilla.
Donat m Polish, French (Rare)
Polish and French form of Donatus (see Donato).
Donata f Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Donatus (see Donato).
Donatella f Italian
Diminutive of Donata.
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Donatien m French
French form of Donatianus.
Donatienne f French
French feminine form of Donatianus.
Donato m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the Late Latin name Donatus meaning "given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.
Doretta f English, Italian
Diminutive of Dora.
Dorian m English, French, Romanian, Polish
The name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.
Doriane f French
French feminine form of Dorian.
Doriano m Italian
Italian form of Dorian.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Dorotea f Italian, Spanish, Croatian, Swedish (Rare)
Form of Dorothea in several languages.
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of the Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dorothée f French
French form of Dorothea.
Dorothee f German
German variant of Dorothea.
Duilio m Italian, Spanish
From the Roman name Duilius, which is possibly derived from Latin duellum "war". This was the name of a Roman consul who defeated the Carthaginians in a naval battle.
Durante m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Durans, which meant "enduring".
Eberhard m German, Germanic
Old German name meaning "brave boar", derived from the elements ebur "wild boar" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by an influential 9th-century Duke of Friuli. It was also the name of a 12th-century German saint, an archbishop of Salzburg.
Eckart m German
Variant of Ekkehard.
Eckbert m German (Rare)
German cognate of Egbert.
Eckehard m German
Variant of Ekkehard.
Eckhard m German
Variant of Ekkehard.
Eckhart m German
Variant of Ekkehard.
Edda 1 f Italian
Italian form of Hedda.
Eddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.
Edelgard f German
From an Old German name, which was derived from the elements adal "noble" and gart "enclosure, yard".
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edgar m English, French, Portuguese, German
Derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
Edgard m French
French variant of Edgar.
Edgardo m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Edgar.
Edi 1 m Croatian, German, Slovene
Croatian and German diminutive of Eduard, and a Slovene diminutive of Edvard.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Editha f German, English (Rare)
Latinate form of Edith.
Edmé m French
Short form of Edmond, used independently.
Edmée f French
Feminine form of Edmé.
Edmond m French, Albanian
French and Albanian form of Edmund. A notable bearer was the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742), for whom Halley's comet is named.
Edmonda f Italian (Rare)
Italian feminine form of Edmund.
Edmonde f French
French feminine form of Edmund.
Edmondo m Italian
Italian form of Edmund.
Edmund m English, German, Polish
Means "rich protection", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.... [more]
Edoardo m Italian
Italian form of Edward.
Édouard m French
French form of Edward.
Edvige f Italian
Italian form of Hedwig.
Edwige f French
French form of Hedwig.
Efisio m Italian
From the Latin byname Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.
Egidio m Italian
Italian form of Aegidius (see Giles).
Églantine f French
French form of Eglantine.
Egon m German
From the Old German name Egino, derived from the element agin meaning "edge, blade" (from Proto-Germanic *agjō). Saint Egino was a 12th-century abbot from Augsburg.
Eike m & f Low German, German
Originally a short form of Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element ekka, Old Saxon eggia meaning "edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.
Ekkehard m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ekka "edge, blade" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Eckhart von Hochheim was a 13th-century Dominican friar, philosopher and mystic who was accused of heresy during the Inquisition.
Elda f Italian
Italian form of Hilda.
Elena f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Eléonore f French
French form of Eleanor.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Elettra f Italian
Italian form of Electra.
Eleuterio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Eleutherius.
Elfriede f German
German form of Elfreda.
Elia m Italian
Italian form of Elijah.
Eliana 1 f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English (Modern)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Éliane.
Éliane f French
Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.
Élie m French
French form of Elijah.
Eligio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eligius.
Elio m Italian
Italian form of Aelius or Helios.
Élisabeth f French
French form of Elizabeth.
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Elisabetta f Italian
Italian form of Elizabeth.
Élise f French
French short form of Élisabeth.
Eliseo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Elisha.
Elke 1 f Low German, Frisian, German, Dutch
Low German and Frisian diminutive of Adelheid.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Elli 2 f German, Finnish
Diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Elizabeth.
Elma f Dutch, English, German (Rare)
Short form of Wilhelmine or names ending in elma, such as Anselma. It has also been recorded as a combination of Elizabeth and Mary, as in the case of the 19th-century daughter of the Earl of Elgin, who was named using her mother's first and middle names.
Elmar m German
Modern German form of Adelmar or Egilmar.
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, Estonian
Originally a short form of names ending with the Old German element helm meaning "helmet, protection", such as Guglielmo or Anselmo. It is also a derivative of Erasmus, via the old Italian short form Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.... [more]
Élodie f French
French form of Alodia.
Éloi m French
French form of Eligius.
Eloisa f Italian
Italian form of Eloise.
Éloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Elouan m Breton, French
Possibly from a Breton word meaning "light". This name was borne by an obscure 6th-century saint who is now venerated mainly in Brittany and Cornwall.
Elpidio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Elpidius.
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Short form of Elisabeth, typically used independently. In medieval German tales Elsa von Brabant was the lover of the hero Lohengrin. Her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Else f Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth, used independently.
Elvia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Helvius.
Elvio m Italian
Italian form of Helvius.
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian
Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).
Elvire f French
French form of Elvira.
Emanuela f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian feminine form of Emmanuel.
Emanuele m Italian
Italian form of Emmanuel.
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
Émeric m French
French form of Emmerich.
Emidio m Italian
From the Late Latin name Emygdius, which was possibly a Latinized form of a Gaulish name (of unknown meaning). Saint Emygdius was a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, the patron saint against earthquakes.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name Aemilius (see Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.
Émilie f French
French feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emilie f German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Émilien m French
French form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Émilienne f French
French feminine form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Emilio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Aemilius (see Emil).
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).
Emmanuelle f French
French feminine form of Emmanuel.
Emmerich m German, Germanic
Germanic name, in which the second element is rih "ruler, king". The first element may be irmin "whole, great" (making it a relative of Ermenrich), amal "unceasing, vigorous, brave" (making it a relative of Amalric) or heim "home" (making it a relative of Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.
Emmy f English, French, Swedish, Dutch, German
Diminutive of Emma or Emily.
Emy f French
Diminutive of Emma or Émilie.
Enea m Italian
Italian form of Aeneas.
Engel m & f Germanic, German (Rare)
Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word engil meaning "angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).
Engelbert m German, Germanic
Old German name composed of either the element angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or engil meaning "angel" combined with beraht meaning "bright". Saint Engelbert was a 13th-century archbishop of Cologne murdered by assassins.
Ennio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.
Enora f Breton, French
Breton form of Honoria, or directly from Breton enor "honour" (a word of Latin origin). This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the wife of Saint Efflamm.
Enrica f Italian
Feminine form of Enrico.
Enrichetta f Italian
Diminutive of Enrica.
Enrico m Italian
Italian form of Heinrich (see Henry). Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was an Italian physicist who did work on the development of the nuclear bomb.
Enzo m Italian, French
The meaning of this name is uncertain. In some cases it seems to be an old Italian form of Heinz, though in other cases it could be a variant of the Germanic name Anzo. In modern times it is also used as a short form of names ending in enzo, such as Vincenzo or Lorenzo.... [more]
Epifanio m Spanish, Italian
From the Latin name Epiphanius, which was from the Greek name Ἐπιφάνιος (Epiphanios), itself derived from the Greek word ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "appearance, manifestation". This name was borne by a few early saints. It is associated with the event known in English as the Epiphany (Spanish Epifanía, Italian Epifania, Latin Epiphania), the coming of the three Magi to visit the infant Jesus.
Eraldo m Italian
Variant of Aroldo.
Erasmo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Erasmus.
Ercole m Italian
Italian form of Hercules.
Erdmann m German (Archaic)
Variant of Hartmann. It can also be interpreted as meaning "earth man" from German Erde "earth", and thus was sometimes used as a translation of Adam.
Erhard m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element era "honour, respect" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Erhard was a 7th-century bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria.
Éric m French
French form of Eric.
Eric m English, Swedish, German, Spanish
Means "ever ruler", from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and ríkr "ruler, king". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.... [more]
Erica f English, Swedish, Italian
Feminine form of Eric. It was first used in the 18th century. It also coincides with the Latin word for "heather".
Erich m German
German form of Eric. The German novelist Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970) was the author of All Quiet on the Western Front.
Erik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, German, Dutch, English, Spanish
Scandinavian form of Eric. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.
Erika f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, Italian
Feminine form of Erik. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.
Ermanno m Italian
Italian form of Herman.
Ermelinda f Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Ermelinde.
Ermenegilda f Italian
Feminine form of Ermenegildo.
Ermenegildo m Italian
Italian form of Hermenegildo.
Ermes m Italian
Italian form of Hermes.
Ermete m Italian
Derived from Hermetis, the Latin genitive form of Hermes, the name of the Greek messenger god.
Erminia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Herminius.
Erminio m Italian
Italian form of Herminius.
Ernest m English, French, Catalan, Polish, Slovak, Slovene
Derived from Old High German ernust meaning "serious, earnest". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
Ernesta f Italian, Lithuanian
Feminine form of Ernest.
Ernestina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Ernest.
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Ernesto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Ernest.
Ernst m German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Ernest.
Ersilia f Italian
Italian form of Hersilia.
Erwin m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.
Espérance f French
French cognate of Esperanza, currently most common in Francophone Africa.
Estelle f English, French
From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Ethan m English, French, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name אֵיתָן (ʾEṯan) meaning "solid, enduring, firm". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a few minor characters, including the wise man Ethan the Ezrahite, supposedly the author of Psalm 89.... [more]
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Étiennette f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Ettore m Italian
Italian form of Hector.
Eufemia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Euphemia.
Eugen m German, Romanian, Slovak, Croatian
Form of Eugenius (see Eugene) in several languages.
Eugène m French
French form of Eugenius (see Eugene). A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Eugénie f French
French form of Eugenia. This was the name of the wife of Napoleon III.
Eugenie f German, English
German and English form of Eugénie, the French form of Eugenia.
Eugenio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Eulalie f French
French form of Eulalia.
Euphrasie f French
French form of Euphrasia.
Eusebio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Eusebius.
Eustache m French
French form of Eustachius or Eustathius (see Eustace).
Eustachio m Italian
Italian form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)
From Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning "content", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Eutimio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Euthymius.
Éva f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form of Eve, as well as a French variant of Ève.
Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Means "evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Évariste m French
French form of Evaristus.
Evaristo m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Evaristus.
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Evelin f German, Estonian, Hungarian
German, Estonian and Hungarian form of Evelina.
Evelina f English, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.
Evelyn f & m English, German
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.... [more]
Évelyne f French
French form of Evelina.
Evi f Greek, Dutch, German
Modern Greek form of Eve, as well as a Dutch and German diminutive.
Évrard m French
French form of Everard.