hlizzyt's Personal Name List

Polish-Yiddish variant of Zisel.

Polish Yiddish name, presumably related to Zysla. Found in documents from the early 1800s regarding contemporary Yiddish-speakers in Poland.

Possibly means "forever, always" in Zapotec. It appears in the novel Aztec (1980) by the American author Gary Jennings.

Either a diminutive of Zulaykha or Zuleykhan or a combination of Arabic ذُو (ḏū) meaning "possessor, owner of" and Turkic ай (ay) meaning "moon".

Derived from Ukrainian зоря (zorya) meaning "star, dawn".

Derived partly from the name Zoraida. The name Zorimel originated in Puerto Rico and means "mesmerizing golden light."

Perhaps means "enchanting" or "dawn" in Arabic. This was the name of a minor 12th-century Spanish saint, a convert from Islam. The name was used by Cervantes for a character in his novel Don Quixote (1606), in which Zoraida is a beautiful Moorish woman of Algiers who converts to Christianity and elopes with a Spanish officer.

Feminine form of Zopyros.

Meaning, "life of long days." The name of a king listed in the Sumerian king list; listed as the last king of Sumer prior to the deluge and subsequently recorded as the hero of the Sumerian flood epic. He is mentioned in other Sumerian epic literature as well, and in Akkadian and Greek stories.

Means "female gazelle" in Hebrew, the feminine form of the word ץְבִי (tsevi). In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of King Joash of Judah.

French form of Zenobia.

French form of Zenaida.

Short form of Azélie. This is another name of Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877).

From Ζεβεδαῖος (Zebedaios), the Greek form of Zebadiah used in the New Testament, where it refers to the father of the apostles James and John.

Means "the boat". This is the traditional name of the star Gamma Eridani in the constellation Eridanus.

According to The Book of Mormon, Zarahemla was a city in ancient America, named after a man who was an ancestor of the prophet Ammon and a descendant of Mulek. In modern times, Zarahemla is most commonly used as a feminine name among Spanish-speaking and Filipino Mormons.

Meaning uncertain. This is the name Pharaoh gave to Joseph in the book of Genesis. Some Egyptologists claim the second element of the name contains the word ˁnḫ "life". Jewish traditional claims the meaning is "revealer of secrets", whereas third century priest and historian Jerome provided the Latin translation salvator mundi "saviour of the world". In the 19th century, German Egyptologist Georg Steindorff offered the translation ḏd pꜣ nṯr iw.f ꜥnḫ "the god speaks (and) he lives", which has become a popular theory.

Variant of Zaphnath-paaneah.

Derived from the Uzbek zamon meaning "time, age, epoch" and mirza meaning "scribe, scholar" or "lord".

Probably derived from Tibetan འཛམ་གླིང (dzam gling) meaning "world".

Potentially derived from the verb yayra- meaning "to feel free, to enjoy, to have fun, to rejoice".

Invented name inspired by similar names like Yaretzi and Yaritza.

The great medicine man of the Zuni. He is associated with civilization, agriculture, animal husbandry, social life, healing and knowledge.

Means "peace" in Zulu.

From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.

German feminine form of Wilhelm.

From the Lithuanian root vyd- "to see" or vyti "to chase, to drive away" combined with tauta "people, nation". This was the name of a 15th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania, revered as a national hero in that country.

Diminutive of Vixen, referring to a female fox. This name was used on a character in Disney's 1981 animated film 'The Fox and the Hound'.

Means "knowledge, science, learning" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.

French feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).

From the Basque name of the Spanish town of Ujué where there is a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its name is derived from Basque usoa "dove".

Means "heavenly inspiration" from Hawaiian ulu "to grow, be inspired" and lani "heaven, sky". This was the name of a ruler of Hilo.

Means "peace of mind" in Urhobo.

Means "elite, top, high level" in Hebrew.

From Yiddish טויב (toib) meaning "dove".

Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.

Means "she of the campfires" in Tamazight. This was the name of a Tuareg queen.

From Akkadian tâmtu meaning "sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.

Means "the Pleiades" in Arabic. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.

From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.

Blend of Thelma and Marie.

Derived from Albanian thëllëzë "partridge" and, figuratively, "pretty girl".

The name of a siren in Greek mythology, meaning "soothing watcher".

From Tibetan མཐའ་ཡས (mtha-yas) meaning "limitless, endless, infinite".

Latinization of Tangwystl.

Means "warmth" in Welsh.

Means "starry" in Erzya, derived from теште (tešte) "star, sign".

Means "enjoying the dance" from Greek τέρψις (terpsis) meaning "delight" and χορός (choros) meaning "dance". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of dance and dramatic chorus, one of the nine Muses.

Means "journey to learn," derived from tere meaning "trip, voyage, journey" and apiʻi meaning "learn, study."

From Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan-'dzin) meaning "upholder of teachings". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).

French form of the Greek name Τελεσφόρος (Telesphoros) meaning "bringing fulfillment" or "bearing fruit" [1]. Saint Telesphorus was a 2nd-century pope and martyr.

Variant of Telephassa.

Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phoenician goddess of love, fertility, the moon and the stars. She was particularly associated with the city of Carthage, being the consort of Ba'al Hammon.

From Welsh tanc "peace" and gwystl "hostage, pledge". This name was borne by a mistress of the 13th-century Welsh ruler Llywelyn the Great.

Derived from Proto-Celtic *tanko- "peace" and rix "king".

Means "seeker of knowledge, student" in Arabic. Abu Talib was an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who raised him after his parents and grandparents died. His name was in fact a kunya (a nickname) formed using Abu; his real name may have been Imran.

Elaboration of Tainá.

Possibly means "he who inspires awe" in Amharic. This name was borne by Lij Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), also known as Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians (Ras Tafari meaning "king Tafari") revere him as the earthly incarnation of God.

Derived from Sanskrit स्वप्न (svapna) meaning "sleep, dream".

Derived from Greek στίλβω (stilbô) meaning "to glitter, gleam". This was the name of a nymph who was loved by the god Apollo and bore him Lapithes, the eponymous first king of the tribe, and some say Kentauros (or Centaurus), who mated with mares to produce the tribe of Kentauroi (Centaurs).

From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".

From the Punic name 𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 (Ṣapanbaʿl) probably meaning "Ba'al conceals", derived from Phoenician 𐤑𐤐𐤍 (ṣapan) possibly meaning "to hide, to conceal" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. Sophonisba was a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian princess who killed herself rather than surrender to the Romans. Her name was recorded in this form by Roman historians such as Livy. She later became a popular subject of plays from the 16th century onwards.

Means "scribe, numbering" in Hebrew.

Anglicized form of the Old Norse name Sumarliði meaning "summer traveller". This was the name of a 12th-century Norse-Gaelic king of Mann and the Scottish Isles.

Allegedly directly taken from the Italian expression sola idea meaning "(the) only idea". In the early 20th century, anarchists often gave this name to their daughters to spite traditional Catholic names.

Strictly feminine variant of Solen.

Variant of Zisel.

German and French form of Sibyl.

Latinate form of Sibyl.

Means "peace of Zion" in Hebrew. Queen Salome Alexandra of Judaea (141-67 BCE) is known as Shlomtzion in Hebrew. It is borne by journalist Shlomzion Kenan, daughter of the late Israeli writer Amos Kenan.

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Sirideáin), which was derived from the given name Sirideán possibly meaning "searcher".

Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.

Alternate transcription of Russian Савелий (see Saveliy).

Samara समरा means - battle, war. It is feminine of समर
It shouldn't be confused with Saamara, Samra
Origin - Sanskrit
USAGE - SANSKRIT, Indian, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali, Sinhala, Bengali, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindi Mauritian, Fijian
* Saamara/Saamra/Samra सामरा- accompanied by immortals, accompanied by god. It is feminine of सामर

From a Turkish nickname meaning "Ruthenian". This referred to the region of Ruthenia, covering Belarus, Ukraine and western Russia. Roxelana (1504-1558), also called Hürrem, was a slave and then concubine of Süleyman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She eventually became his wife and produced his heir, Selim II.

Ancient Hebrew name meaning "the Lord's secret."

Feminine form of Raziel.

Means "my secret is God" in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel in Jewish tradition.

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

Origin uncertain. This was used for the title character in John Fletcher's play 'The Island Princess' (written ca. 1619-1621): a princess of Tidore (an Islamic state in Indonesia) who vows to marry the man who frees her brother, the king, who has recently been captured by a local rival.

Means "feather (from the quetzal bird)" or "precious thing" in Nahuatl [1].

Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Abbreviated from Pyxis Nautica, its name is Latin for a mariner's compass (contrasting with Circinus, which represents a draftsman's compasses). Pyxis was introduced by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century, and is counted among the 88 modern constellations.

From Welsh pryder meaning "care, worry" (or perhaps from a derivative word *pryderi meaning "loss" [1]). Appearing in Welsh legend in all four branches of the Mabinogi, Pryderi was the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, eventually succeeding his father as the king of Dyfed. He was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's tragic invasion of Ireland, and later had several adventures with Manawydan. He was ultimately killed in single combat with Gwydion during the war between Dyfed and Gwynedd.

Means "friendliness, kindliness" in Greek, a derivative of φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". In Greek mythology this was the name of the personification of welcome and friendliness.

The name of a number of characters in Greek mythology. Philonoe is derived from νοέω (noeō) meaning "to intend, to perceive, to see, to understand" and φίλος (philos) meaning "beloved".

French form of Petronilla.

From Greek περιστέρι (peristeri) meaning "dove, pigeon," from Ancient Greek περῐστέρῐον (peristérion), the diminutive of περιστερᾱ́ (peristerā́).
This name is borne by Peristera "Betty" Baziana (1974-), the wife of the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras.

Derived from Greek πασιφαής (pasiphaēs) meaning "shining on all", which is ultimately derived from Greek πᾶς (pas) meaning "all, for all, of all" combined with Greek φάος (phaos) meaning "light" (related to Greek φῶς (phos) "light"). In mythology, Pasiphaë was the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and Perse, the oldest daughter of Oceanus and Tethys.

Pamina is a character in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte in German, 1791).

From Serbian озарити (ozariti) or озарен (ozaren) meaning "to make radiant" and "radiant" respectively.

Derived from Greek οὐράνιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.

Derived from Hebrew אוֹצָר (otzar) meaning "treasure".

Means "firelight" in Pashto.

Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.

Latinized form of Oreithyia.

Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.

Possibly related to Greek ὀρίνω (orino) meaning "to excite, to agitate". George Bernard Shaw used this name in his play The Apple Cart (1929).

Meaning uncertain, perhaps a Greek form of a Hebrew name in which the initial element is אוֹר ('or) meaning "light". Saint Horaeozele or Oriozela of Reuma in Byzantium was an early Christian virgin martyr.

Means "firefly" in Pashto.

Means "intelligent, wise" in Uzbek.

Latinized form of Greek Ὀνούφριος (Onouphrios), derived from Egyptian wnn-nfr meaning "he who is good, he who is happy". This was an epithet of the god Osiris. It was later used by an Egyptian saint and hermit from the 4th or 5th century.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ὀνήσιμος (Onesimos), which meant "beneficial, profitable". Saint Onesimus was an escaped slave of Philemon who met Saint Paul while in prison and was converted by him. Paul sent him back to Philemon carrying the epistle that appears in the New Testament.

Means "wish, hope". Amani "wishes" is the Arabic plural form of the same noun and is also used as a given name.

Ofania is a name derived from the Polynesian Coral Island, called Niue Island. The name means affectinate or loveable.

Latinate form of Odette.

Possibly an elaboration of Odilia used in Latin America. In most countries it is a feminine name, but in the Dominican Republic it is commonly masculine.

The name Obulor mean "Peace filled mind" or "I am now relaxed" from all worries.
The name dates back to 1901 - 1912 When a man from the community of Ede town in Ogba Land, who later died in the early 1980, and another in Obite Town who hailed from the Family of Elemele household of Ohali Royal kindred. However, my mother named me Obulor, she delivered off her pregnancy few months after the burial of her father.

Derived from nurli meaning "radiant, shining" and hayot meaning "life".

Meaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.

From Egyptian nb.t-tꜢwj meaning "lady of the two lands", derived from nbt "lady, mistress" combined with tꜣ "land, realm, country" and .wj "the two of them", together referring to Upper and Lower Egypt as a single entity. This was used as a royal title as well as a given name.

Possibly from Persian نظریه (nazariye), ultimately from Arabic نَظَرِيَّة (naẓariyya) "theory, theorem". A known bearer is Nazriya Nazim (1994–), a Muslim Indian actress from Kerala.

Means "kindness" in Uzbek.

Nashira, also known as Gamma Capricorni, is a bright star in the constellation of Capricornus.
The name is derived from the Arabic سعد ناشرة (sa'd nashirah) which is said to mean "the lucky one" or "bearer of good news".

From the Hebrew name נָעֳמִי (Naʿomi) meaning "my pleasantness", a derivative of נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be Mara because of her misfortune (see Ruth 1:20).

Though long common as a Jewish name, Naomi was not typically used as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer is the British model Naomi Campbell (1970-).

Derived from musofir meaning "pilgrim" or "traveller, wanderer".

Meaning uncertain, possibly from a Brythonic phrase meaning "my dear". This was a nickname of the 6th-century Saint Kentigern.

Means "bright sea", derived from Old Irish muir "sea" and gel "bright".

Derived from mirza meaning "scribe, scholar" and oy meaning "moon".

Means "cloud" in Arrernte.

Míriel is the name of two characters in Tolkien's works. It means 'jewel-garlanded maiden'.

Míriel Serindë, a Noldorin Elf, was the wife of Finwë and father of Fëanor. The birth of her mighty son took so much of her spirit that she passed away.

Tar-Míriel was the rightful heir to the throne of Númenor, but was usurped by her cousin Pharazôn. Ar-Pharazôn led a fleet against Valinor, resulting in the destruction of Númenor. Legend said that Tar-Míriel sought to reach the peak of the Meneltarma before the end, but the waters took her as she climbed the slopes of the Holy Mountain.

Means "peace" in Luganda.

Diminutive of Miroslav and other names beginning with the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world". It is sometimes used independently.

From the Occitan name Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". It is spelled Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).

Derived from Latvian mirdzēt meaning "to shine, to glitter". This is the name of a tragic character in the play Vaidelote (1894) by the Latvian poet and playwright Aspazija.

Means "glowing like a moon" in Armenian.

Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

From the name of a village in Andorra where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The name of the village may derive from Latin meridies meaning "midday".

Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.

Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).

From Hebrew origins. The name means she who comes down from the stars.

Strictly feminine form of Mazal.

Obscure feminine form of Maximilian, in former times mainly used by noble families.
Bearers include Marie Franzisca Maximilia von Montbarrey (*1761), daughter of Alexandre Marie Léonor de Saint-Mauris, prince de Montbarrey and wife of Henry Louis, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Maximilia Eleonore Schwanberg von Bor (17th century).

Diminutive of María Auxiliadora.

Latinate form of Margaret.

In the case of English-born American actress Margalo Gillmore (1897-1986), it appears to be a combination of Margaret and Lorraine, her given names (compare Marga, Lo). The author E. B. White used this name in his children's novel 'Stuart Little' (1945).

Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".

Occitan form of Magdalene.

Feminine form of Maël, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mailys.

Possibly from Old Cornish mab meaning "son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.

Means "she who lets loose the horses" in Greek from the elements λύσις (lysis) "a release, loosening" and ἵππος (hippos) "horse". In Greek myth, this was the name of an Amazon queen who lived not long before the Trojan War. She was originally from north of the Black Sea, but then moved to the modern-day Thermodon Plain. It is said that Aphrodite put a spell on Lysippe's son so that he would fall in love with his mother, but because he couldn't have her, he killed himself. During her grief Lysippe built the Amazon capitol city of Themiscyra and set the laws that the Amazons were known for.

Means "the moon" in the Palawa language of Tasmania. There is a suburb of Hobart with this name. A famous namesake is Lutana Spotswood, a language worker who gave a eulogy in Palawa at the funeral of a Tasmanian premier.

Means "pomegranate", from the Akkadian lurintu ("a pomegranate").

Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.

Combination of Lúcia and Maria. A famous bearer is Brazilian athlete Lucimar Aparecida de Moura.

This name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called Lucasta (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, whom he called lux casta "pure light".

From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl [1]. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.

Means "star" in Ijaw.

Probably coined by Pietro Mascagni for the titular character of his "dramma lirico" or lyric opera Lodoletta (1917), which was based on the novel Two Little Wooden Shoes by Marie Louise de la Ramée, (Ouida).
He most likely coined the name as a diminutive of lodola, a Tuscan dialectal variant of allodola "lark" (ultimately derived from Latin alauda). In Italy, the name is almost exclusively found in Tuscany.

French feminine form of Leopold.

From Swahili kweli meaning "truth".

Means "star" in Amharic.

Transferred use of the surname Kepler.

Rose in prominence as a first name following the rise of German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer Johannes Kepler.

From Hebrew ךְּלִיל (kelil) meaning "crown, wreath, garland" or "complete, perfect".

Means "anemone (flower)" in Hebrew. It is ultimately related to the word כַּלָּה (kala) meaning "bride".

Derived from the Arabic verb جَسَرَ (jasara) "to dare, to venture boldly; to be foolhearted".

Apparently means "discovery of God" in Hebrew, according to some sources. However, it could possibly instead mean "the light of God is with me", derived from Hebrew 'itay "with me", uri "light, fire" and el "God". See also Ithai (and perhaps Ithiel, too) and Uriel. Ithuriel was the name of an angel in Judeo-Christian legend.

Means "nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad.

From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.

Though it has never been popular in the English-speaking world among Christians, it has historically been a common name for Jews, who have used it as an Americanized form of names such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah.

Late Latin name meaning "from Isauria". Isauria was the name of a region in Asia Minor.

Latinized form of Iphigeneia.

Means "sparkle brilliance" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Idril was the daughter of Turgon, the king of Gondolin. She escaped the destruction of that place with her husband Tuor and sailed with him into the west.

Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea.

Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century [1].

Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Cheshire. The final element is Old English leah "woodland, clearing", while the first element might be hux "insult, scorn". A famous bearer of the surname was the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963).

Means "softly-shining" in Greek (probably from ἱλαρός (hilaros) "cheerful, bright"; compare Hilarius). In Greek myth the sisters Hilaeira and Phoebe, commonly referred to as the Leucippides (being daughters of Leucippus of Mycenae), were carried off by Castor and Pollux, who were charmed by their beauty. This was also an epithet of the moon goddess Selene.

Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.

Derived from Greek ἅλς (hals) meaning "sea, brine, salt" combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". According to Greek mythology this was one of the Nereids. A minor moon of Neptune is named after her.

Directly taken from Welsh gwenonwy "lily of the valley". In local folklore this was the name of King Arthur's sister; Maen Gwenonwy, a large rock off Porth Cadlan in Gwynedd, Wales, is named for her.
As a given name, Gwenonwy has occasionally been found from the late 19th century onwards.

Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh ffreu meaning "stream, flow" [1] or the obscure word ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile" [2]. This may be the original form of Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.

Variant of Gwendolen.

Feminine form of Gwenaël.

From the Old Norse name Guðrún meaning "god's secret lore", derived from the elements guð "god" and rún "secret lore, rune". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the Eddas and the Völsungasaga. She is called Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic Kudrun.

Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of Geneviève.

From the medieval name Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.

From Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganymedes), which was possibly derived from γάνυμαι (ganymai) meaning "to be glad" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology this was the name of a beautiful boy who was abducted by Zeus to become the cupbearer to the gods, the successor of Hebe. A moon of Jupiter is named after him.

From the Gothic name *Gaileswinþa, derived from the element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with swinþs "strong". Galswintha was a daughter of the 6th-century Visigothic king Athanagild. She was murdered soon after she married Chilperic I, the Frankish king of Neustria.

Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.

Means "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are galad "radiant" and riel "garlanded maiden". Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.

From Latin floris, the genitive case of flos meaning "flower". This name was used by Shakespeare for the prince of Bohemia and the lover of Perdita in his play The Winter's Tale (1610).

From the Roman cognomen Florianus, a derivative of Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.

Means "charming, seductive, fascinating" in Arabic.

Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and munt "protection". This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century king of the Franks.

Derived from Basque ezti "honey; sweet" and, by extension, "gentle; pleasant; melodious".

English form of Exuperius, possibly derived from the French Exupéry.

Means "cosmos, the universe" in Turkish. In Turkic mythology the Evren is a gigantic snake-like dragon.

Means "far-roaming" from Greek εὐρύς (eurys) "wide, broad" and ἄλη (ale) "wandering, roaming" (from the verb ἀλάομαι (alaomai) "to wander"). In Greek myth she was one of the Gorgons, a sister of Medusa and Stheno; while she and Stheno were immortal, Medusa was not.

French form of Euphrasia.

Diminutive of Estibaliz, used as a given name in its own right.

Basque version of Estíbaliz.

From an English word (now obsolete) for "hope." The battle cry of Harry Hotspur was "Esperance en Dieu," or "hope in God," which was the motto for House Percy. The French form, Espérance, is typically found in religious texts (the word espoir is far more common).

Means "desire, wish" in Sanskrit.

Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.

From Greek ἐπιμέλεια (epimeleia) meaning "care, attention".

Means "snowdrop (flower)" in Georgian (genus Galanthus).

Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.

French form of Elvira.

Derived from Welsh eilun meaning "image, likeness, idol". This was the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh saint, also known as Eiliwedd, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Spanish form of Alodia.

Means "my eyes look to Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from אֶל (ʾel) meaning "towards", יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God, and עַיִן (ʿayin) meaning "eye". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.

Means "my God is he" in Hebrew, from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and הוּא (hu) meaning "he". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament including one of the friends of Job.

From Greek ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros) meaning "free". In Greek mythology Eleuther was the son of the god Apollo and Aithusa or Aethusa. It might also be an anglicized form of Eleutherius.

Australian locational name. Derived from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "home by the sea" or "home by the water".

The name of a nymph desired by Poseidon. The name is derived from the suffix element ειδο (eido-), perhaps meaning "knowing" or "shapely", and the element θεα (thea) meaning "goddess".

The first element of this name is derived from the Greek verb ἔχω (echo) meaning "to have, to hold, to possess". The second element is derived from either the Greek noun φρόνις (phronis) meaning "prudence, wisdom" or the Greek verb φρονέω (phroneo) meaning "to think" as well as "to be minded". Both words are ultimately derived from the Greek noun φρήν (phren) meaning "midriff" as well as "mind, intellect, wits".

This is the name of several characters in Greek mythology, one of them being a son of king Priam of Troy.

Means "lover of the stars" or "illuminator" in Quenya, borrowed from Old Norse Earendel. Earendil was an Elvish mariner who sailed the Belegaear (Great Sea).

Old English cognate of the Germanic name Auriwandalo, from Proto-Germanic *Auziwandilaz, composed of *auzi "dawn" and *wandilaz "wandering, fluctuating, variable". Ēarendel occurs in the Old English poem Christ I as a personification of the morning star; the following couplet (from lines 104-5, translated from the Old English) influenced J. R. R. Tolkien's portrayal of Middle-earth and his character Earendil: "Hail Earendel brightest of angels, / over Middle Earth sent to men."

Means "sunset" in Greek. She was the eleventh of the twelve Horae, goddesses of the hours, who presided over the hour of sunset.

Derived from Slavic elements, possibly desiti "to find, to encounter" or desętĭ "ten", combined with mirŭ "peace, world".

The first element of this name is derived from Polish darzyć "to bestow, to grant, to endow", which is ultimately derived from Slavic dar "gift, present" (which in turn is derived from Proto-Slavic darъ "gift, present"). Compare modern Polish darować "to donate, to gift" and Czech darovat "to donate, to give", as well as Proto-Slavic dati "to give". The second element of this name is derived from Slavic mir "peace". As such, this name roughly means "to bestow peace", making it more or less a cognate of the name Daromir.

The name of an Okeanid Nymph of the town in Eleusis in Attika, Greece. It is derived from the element δαο (dao), meaning "the knowing one, teacher".

From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage who was martyred under the Roman emperor Valerian.

Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.

Derived from Hungarian csillag meaning "star". This name was created by the Hungarian author András Dugonics for an 1803 novel and later used and popularized by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty.

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.

Latinized form of Kleio.

Derived from Guanche *ta-ahghər-ahəgh(i), meaning "she who sustains the firmament". This is the name of the mother goddess in Guanche mythology. After the conquest of the Canary Islands and their subsequent Christianization, Chaxiraxi became identified with the Virgin of Candelaria, an alleged appearance of the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife.

Means "lily" in Hebrew, presumably taken from the phrase חבצלת השרון (Chavatzelet HaSharon) "rose of Sharon" found in the Old Testament book the Song of Solomon. (In Israel, Solomon's "rose of Sharon" is popularly accepted to have been the sand lily, which grows in the Sharon plain in coastal sands, though technically the flower has not been identified.)

From Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.

Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).

This name was invented by Molière for his play "The Misanthrope" (17th century). Given that many characters in his play bear names that are obviously of Greek origin (or inspired by the Greek language), the name Célimène must then at least be partly Greek as well. Most sources claim that Molière derived the name from two Greek elements, the combination of which give the name the meaning of "princess of the moon". This cannot be correct, unfortunately. While the second element of the name could indeed correspond to Greek μήνη (mēnē) "moon", there is nothing in the Greek language that means "princess" (or even "prince") which also resembles the first element of the name. Most of the sources that give the meaning as "princesss of the moon" claim that the "prince" part of the name is derived from Greek χηλή (khēlē), but this word actually means "claw, grip", not "prince". As such, one must conclude that these sources are questionable at best. Instead, it's probably more likely that the name Célimène is actually a blend of Latin and Greek elements. The first half of the name looks like it was derived from the name Célie, which is the French form of Celia, a latinate name which was derived from Latin caelum meaning "heaven". The second half of the name is probably derived from Greek μενος (menos) meaning "strength" - compare also Philomène. As such, the meaning of Célimène would roughly be "heavenly strength". Finally, thanks to the exposure of the name via Molière's play, there have been cases in real life where parents were inspired to give their newborn daughter this name. Examples of real-life bearers include French singer Célimène Gaudieux (1807-1864) and French pianist Célimène Daudet (b. 1977).

From the name of the flower, which is derived from Greek χελιδών (chelidon) meaning "swallow (bird)".

From a place name mentioned only by the Old Testament prophet Ezra, said to be a corruption of Caspian. Otherwise it may mean "place of the treasury" from Hebrew keceph "silver, money".

Elaborated form of Caprice.

From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.

Scottish Gaelic form of Columba.

Locational name, from the Brindabella mountain range on the border of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Usually said to be from a local language, meaning "two hopping mice" - hopping mice are native Australian mice. Another theory is that it is from brindy brindy, meaning "water running over rocks", with a European -bella added to suggest "beautiful".

Used by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian brado "wild, untamed, natural" and amante "loving" or perhaps Latin amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera Alcina (1735).

Perhaps an elaborated form of French béryl meaning "beryl", possibly blending it with the word lune "moon". This was used by the Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck for a fairy in his play 'The Blue Bird' (1908).

Means "bright raven", derived from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).

From an English surname derived from Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".

Variant of Belshazzar. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia. This name was utilized by Shakespeare for minor characters in The Comedy of Errors (1594) and The Merchant of Venice (1596).

Derived from badia meaning "artistic creation" and peri meaning "fairy".

An epithet of the Greek goddesses Demeter and Persephone, likely derived from Greek ἄζη (azê) meaning "dry dirt" or ἄζω (azô) meaning "to dry up, parch" (compare Azalea).

Means "moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from ay "moon" and sel "flood, stream" (of Arabic origin).

From Turkic ay meaning "moon" and temür meaning "iron".

Created by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli based it on Persian آفتاب (āftāb) meaning "sunshine" and دل (del) meaning "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.

From the name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.

Derived from Greek αὔξησις (auxesis) meaning "growth, increase". This was the name of the goddess of spring growth, one of the Horai. The name also functioned as a title of the goddess Persephone, whose ascent from the underworld marked the transition from winter into spring.

Derived from Aušra with the feminine adjectival suffix -inė, referring to something made from or pertaining to a noun, ultimately meaning something along the lines of "auroral; pertaining to the dawn."

This name belongs to a Lithuanian goddess of the morning star and sister to Vakarinė, known as Auseklis in Latvia. Some scholars believe that she was also the goddess of youth, beauty and health and as such was referred to as "the Queen of the Stars."
In Lithuanian folklore, she became the moon's love interest when the moon divorced the sun.

Means "beam; morning; morning star", or possibly derived from aur ("water") and vandill ("sword"). In Norse mythology one of Aurvandill's toes broke off. Thor threw it into the sky, where it became a star.

Italian form of Audentius.

Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).

Probably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star" and φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella.

Alleged Lithuanian goddess of stoves and, more specifically, stove corners.

Aspelenie was first recorded by Polish historian and theologian Jan Łasicki in his treatise on idolatry De diis Samagitarum caeterorumque Sarmatarum et falsorum Christianorum, written ca. 1582 and published in 1615.

Her name is clearly a Latinization, however, an original form, if there ever was one, has since been reconstructed: Užpelenė.
The meaning of her name is yet unknown.
There are, however, theories that link her to the "snake cult" prevalent in Baltic mythology and folklore. Snakes were considered messengers of the gods and treated accordingly. They were thought to be guardians of the home and a symbol of fertility, bringing good harvest and wealth.
Snakes liked to live in the corners of the stoves or near stoves, so with stoves being the realm of Aspelenie, they might have been sacred to her.

Since Łasicki was not intimately familiar with Lithuanian culture or language, the academic opinion on the value of his writings ranges from a valuable resource to a practical joke.

Derived from Greek ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).

Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.

Means "collector" in Hebrew. This name belongs to several minor characters in the Old Testament.

Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.

Means "desire" in Persian.

From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.

Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of Achelois.

Means "brighter, more luminous" in Arabic, related to نور (nūr) meaning "light". This name was borne by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), who was assassinated three years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

From an Old Welsh name recorded in various forms such as Acgarat and Ancarat. It means "much loved", from the intensive prefix an- combined with a mutated form of caru "to love". In the medieval Welsh romance Peredur son of Efrawg, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of the knight Peredur.

Danish, Swedish, Sicilian and English modern variant of Anastasia as well as a traditional Czech variant of Anastázie.

From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.

Derived from Greek ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning "to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in Virgil's pastoral poems Eclogues [1]. The amaryllis flower is named for her.

Derived from Arabic العذراء (al-ʿadhrāʾ) meaning "the maiden". This is the name of a star in the constellation Canis Major.

From the name of a town in the Basque region of France.

Derived from Italian alta, the feminine form of the adjective alto, meaning "high; deep; big; towering; elevated" and, when used in a poetic context, "grand; sublime; noble" and luna "moon".

A known bearer of this name was Altaluna della Scala, daughter of Mastino II della Scala, a 14th-cenutry lord of Verona, sister of Viridis and wife of Louis V, Duke of Bavaria.

Whether Altalune, the name Uma Thurman gave her daughter born in 2012, is a medieval variant of this name, is still debated.

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

German feminine form of Aloysius.

Derived from Greek ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.

Means "I have seen the world" in Amharic.

Means "she must be introduced" in Nguni.

Means "That which illuminates; bringer of light" in Arabic.

Means "flock of God" in Hebrew, from עֵדֶר (ʿeḏer) meaning "flock, herd" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.

Derived from Arabic عذارى (ʿadhārā) meaning "maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.

Means "the crown honored us" in Yoruba.

Medieval English and Old Swedish form of Adelais. The second wife of Henry I of England bore this name.

Derived from Greek ἀδάμαστος (adamastos) meaning "untamed" or "untameable" (also see Adamastos). The giant Adamastor is a personification of the Cape of Good Hope in the 16th-century Portuguese poet Luís de Camões' epic work Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads). The character is also mentioned in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862) and some works of Alexander Dumas, including Le Comte de Monte Cristo (1844).

Possibly a corruption of Adamanteia, a name used by Hyginus in reference to Amalthea.

Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.

From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".

From a word thought to have originated with the Gnostics or the Egyptians, found on many amulets during the last years of the Roman Empire. Abraxas was used by the Basilideans, a Gnostic sect of the 2nd century, to refer to the Supreme Being or god whom they worshipped; they believed it to be a name of power because it contained the seven Greek letters which, computed numerically, equal the number 365 (the number of days in the year). However, older mythologists placed Abraxas among the Egyptian gods, while some demonologists cite him as a demon with the head of a king and serpents forming his feet. He has been represented on amulets with a whip in his hand. The mystic word abracadabra is supposedly derived from his name (itself perhaps derived from Aramaic avra kedabra "what was said, occurred" or "I will create as I speak"). Many stones and gems were cut with his capricious symbolic markings, such as a human body having a fowl's or lion's head, and snakes as limbs, which were worn by the Basilideans as amulets. Gnostic symbols were later adopted by many societies devoted to magic and alchemy, therefore it is likely that most "abraxas-stones" made in the Middle Ages that contained kabbalistic symbols were talismans.

According to some sources this was an alternative name of one of the four immortal horses of the Greek sun god Helios. It was used by author J. K. Rowling in her 'Harry Potter' series of books for a minor character, the grandfather of Draco Malfoy.