Pink Princess's Personal Name List

Zuriel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: צוּרִיאֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Means "my rock is God" in Hebrew, derived from צוּר (tsur) meaning "rock" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a chief of the Merarite Levites at the time of the Exodus.
Zuri
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
Means "beautiful" in Swahili.
Zoelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), French (Quebec, Rare), French (Rare)
Pronounced: zo-EL(English) ZO-EL(Quebec French, French)
Personal remark: “Life”
Feminine form of Zoel.
Zoella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), Italian (Rare), Filipino (Rare)
Pronounced: zo-EL-ə(English)
Feminine form of Zoellus.
Ziva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: זִיוָה(Hebrew)
Feminine form of Ziv.
Zipporah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew
Other Scripts: צִפּוֹרָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: zi-PAWR-ə(English) ZIP-ə-rə(English)
From the Hebrew name צִפּוֹרָה (Tsippora), derived from צִפּוֹר (tsippor) meaning "bird" [1]. In the Old Testament this is the name of the Midianite wife of Moses. She was the daughter of the priest Jethro.
Zion
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Jewish, Biblical
Other Scripts: צִיוֹן(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ZIE-ən(English)
From the name of a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem. Zion is also used to refer to a Jewish homeland and to heaven.
Zinnia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ZIN-ee-ə
From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.
Zimri
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: זִםְרִי(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ZIM-ree(English) ZIM-rie(English)
Probably means "my music" in Hebrew, a possessive form of זִםְרָה (zimra) meaning "music, song". This was the name of a king of Israel according to the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army Omri. Another Zimri in the Old Testament was the the lover of the Midianite woman Cozbi.
Zimran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Other Scripts: זִמְרָן(Hebrew)
Meaning uncertain. Some sources say that the name means "musical" or "musician" and is ultimately derived from Hebrew zimrah meaning "melody, song (in praise of God)". If this is true, then the name is etymologically related to Zimri. Other sources say that this name is derived from Hebrew zemer meaning "mountain sheep" or "mountain goat".

In the Hebrew Bible, Zimran is the name of the first son of Abraham and his wife Keturah.

Ziggy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Popular Culture, English (Rare)
Pronounced: ZIG-ee
Short form of Zigfried or Zachary.
Zia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Other Scripts: ضياء(Arabic) ضیاء(Urdu) জিয়া(Bengali)
Pronounced: dee-YA(Arabic)
Personal remark: “Light” in Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ضياء (see Ziya), as well as the usual Urdu and Bengali transcription.
Zevida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: זְבִידָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Hebrew form of Zebidah.
Zevadya
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: זְבַדְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Hebrew form of Zebadiah.
Zev
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: זְאֵב(Hebrew)
Alternate transcription of Hebrew זְאֵב (see Zeev).
Zephi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical (Rare)
Pronounced: ZEE-fie(Biblical English)
Variant of Zepho.
Zephaniah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: ץְפַןְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: zeh-fə-NIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name ץְפַןְיָה (Tsefanya) meaning "Yahweh has hidden", derived from צָפַן (tsafan) meaning "to hide" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Zephaniah.
Zephan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Truncated form of Zephaniah.
Zelda 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yiddish
Other Scripts: זעלדאַ(Yiddish)
Possibly a feminine form of Zelig.
Zechariah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English
Other Scripts: זְכַרְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: zehk-ə-RIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zeḵarya) meaning "Yahweh remembers", from the roots זָכַר (zaḵar) meaning "to remember" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form Zacharias or the English form Zachary. As an English given name, Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
Zebedee
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: Ζεβεδαῖος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ZEHB-ə-dee(English)
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.
Zebadiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: זְבַדְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: zehb-ə-DIE-ə(English)
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Zeal
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Found in occasional use as a given name from 17th century onwards, Zeal is part virtue name and part a transfer of the English surname.
While the surname is derived from a number of places in England (and thus ultimately from Old English sealh "sallow-tree"), the English word zeal is derived from Greek zêlos, used in the Bible to mean "ardent feeling; fervor" referring to any kind of strong emotion.
Zaylia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew (Rare)
Pronounced: ZAY-LEE-A
Meaning "solemn", "argent", "zealous", and several more.
Zaya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: African American (Modern, Rare), English (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: ZIE-ə
Personal remark: “Hope, Faith” in Arabic
Possibly an invented name based on the sounds found in other names such as Maya 2, Naya and Kaya 2. This is borne by Zaya Wade (2007-), daughter of retired American basketball player Dwyane Wade.
Zavia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ZAY-vee-ə
Modern feminine form of Xavier.
Zarina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik, Urdu, Malay
Other Scripts: Зарина(Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik) زرینہ(Urdu)
Personal remark: “Golden”
From Persian زرین (zarīn) meaning "golden". According to the 5th-century BC Greek historian Ctesias, this was the name of a Scythian queen.
Zariah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: zə-RIE-ə, ZAHR-ee-ə
Personal remark: Yahweh is ruler
Variant of Zaria or Sariah.
Zaria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ZAHR-ee-ə
Personal remark: “Gold, Dawn, blooming flower” “Yahweh is ruler”
Possibly based on Zahra 2 or the Nigerian city of Zaria.
Zari
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Iranian
Personal remark: “Golden, blooming flower”
Zaray
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American)
Personal remark: “Blooming flower” “Obedient”
Meaning unknown.
Zane
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Venetian (Archaic), Ligurian, Medieval Italian
Venetian and Ligurian form of John.
Zamirah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: זמירה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: zah-MEE-rah
Feminine form of Zamir.
Zalman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Yiddish
Other Scripts: זלמן(Yiddish)
Yiddish variant of Solomon.
Zaliah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Personal remark: Zah-Lee-ah “Yahweh has reserved”
Short form of Azaliah.
Zain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Other Scripts: زين(Arabic) زین(Urdu)
Pronounced: ZIEN(Arabic)
Alternate transcription of Arabic زين (see Zayn), as well as the usual Urdu and Malay form.
Zahrah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: زهرة(Arabic)
Pronounced: ZAH-ra
Alternate transcription of Arabic زهرة (see Zahra 2).
Zahia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: زاهية(Arabic)
Pronounced: ZA-hee-ya
Feminine form of Zahi.
Zahava
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: זהבה(Hebrew)
Derived from Hebrew זָהָב (zaháv) meaning "gold".
Zadie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ZAY-dee
Variant of Sadie. A known bearer of this name is British author Zadie Smith (1975-), who was born Sadie Smith.
Zacchaeus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: Ζακχαῖος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: zə-KEE-əs(English)
From Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of Zaccai. According to the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus, then gave half of his possessions to charity.
Yasmin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, English (Modern), Spanish (Modern), Portuguese (Modern)
Other Scripts: ياسمين(Arabic) יַסְמִין(Hebrew) یاسمین(Urdu)
Pronounced: yas-MEEN(Arabic) YAZ-min(English) gyas-MEEN(Spanish)
Means "jasmine" in Arabic and Hebrew, derived from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn). In modern times it has been used in the western world, as an Arabic-influenced variant of Jasmine.
Yaniv
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: יָנִיב(Hebrew)
Means "he will prosper" in Hebrew.
Wyatt
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIE-ət
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Wyard or Wyot, from the Old English name Wigheard. Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was an American lawman and gunfighter involved in the famous shootout at the OK Corral.
Wrenna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Rare)
Pronounced: REN-ə
Elaborated form of Wren. It coincides with Old English wrenna meaning "(male) wren".
Wren
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: REHN
From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.
Wolf
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Jewish, English (Rare), Germanic [1]
Other Scripts: װאָלףֿ(Yiddish)
Pronounced: VAWLF(German) WUWLF(English)
Short form of Wolfgang, Wolfram and other names containing the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" (Proto-Germanic *wulfaz). It can also be simply from the German or English word. As a Jewish name it can be considered a vernacular form of Zeev.
Winter
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: WIN-tər
From the English word for the season, derived from Old English winter.
Winona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Sioux
Pronounced: wi-NO-nə(English)
Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Willow
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: WIL-o
From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.
Wesley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WEHS-lee, WEHZ-lee
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
Violet
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: VIE-lit, VIE-ə-lit
From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
Victory
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (African), English (Puritan)
Pronounced: VIK-tər-ee(English)
Simply from the English word, which is ultimately from Latin victoria (itself from the past participle stem of vincere "to conquer", making it a (distant) relative of Vincent). For Puritans, the name was given in reference to 1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
A male bearer was Victory Birdseye (1782-1853), a U.S. Representative from New York.
Vashti
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: וַשְׁתִּי(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: VASH-tee(English)
Probably of Persian origin, possibly a superlative form of 𐎺𐎢 (vahu) meaning "good". According to the Old Testament this was the name of the first wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia before he married Esther.
Valor
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
From the English word valor meaning "bravery, courage". From the Latin valor "value".
Tom 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Pronounced: TAHM(American English) TAWM(British English, Dutch, Norwegian)
Short form of Thomas. Tom Sawyer is the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-), as well as American football player Tom Brady (1977-).
Tilly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TIL-ee
Diminutive of Matilda.
Thaddeus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: Θαδδαῖος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: THAD-ee-əs(English) tha-DEE-əs(English)
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Tex
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TEHKS
From a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.
Tevye
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Yiddish (Rare)
Other Scripts: טבֿיה(Yiddish)
Yiddish form of Tobiah. This is the name of the central character in stories written by the Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem in the late 19th century, as well as the later musical adaptation Fiddler on the Roof (1964).
Tessie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TEHS-ee
Diminutive of Theresa.
Tea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Croatian, Slovene, Finnish, Georgian
Other Scripts: თეა(Georgian)
Pronounced: TEH-ah(Finnish)
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora and other names containing a similar sound.
Tanzi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: TAN-zee
Variant of Tansy.
Tansy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: TAN-zee
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin tanacita.
Tallulah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: tə-LOO-lə
This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
Talitha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Pronounced: TAL-i-thə(English) tə-LEE-thə(English)
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
Talia 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: טַלְיָה, טַלְיָא(Hebrew)
Means "dew from God" in Hebrew, from טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Taj
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: تاج(Arabic)
Pronounced: TAJ
Means "crown" in Arabic.
Tabitha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Ταβιθά(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: TAB-i-thə(English)
Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
Sylvan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Sunshine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SUN-shien
From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".
Sunny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SUN-ee
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
Sunflower
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Rare)
Pronounced: SUN-flow-er
From the English word, sunflower.
Summer
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SUM-ər
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Sparrow
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: SPAR-o, SPEHR-o
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.
Sonny
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SUN-ee
From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.
Solomon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: שְׁלֹמֹה(Hebrew) Σολομών(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SAHL-ə-mən(American English) SAWL-ə-mən(British English)
From the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomo), which was derived from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

This name has never been overly common in the Christian world, and it is considered typically Jewish. It was however borne by an 11th-century Hungarian king.

Sky
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SKIE
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".
Silas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Σίλας(Greek)
Pronounced: SIE-ləs(English)
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).

As an English name it was not used until after the Protestant Reformation. It was utilized by George Eliot for the title character in her novel Silas Marner (1861).

Siena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: see-EHN-ə
Variant of Sienna, with the spelling perhaps influenced by that of the Italian city.
Sia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Personal remark: Moving, help in Hebrew
Diminutive of any name containing the element -sia-. A noted bearer is Australian singer-songwriter Sia, born Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (b.1975), best known for her collaboration songs 'Titanium', with David Guetta, and 'Wild Ones', with Flo Rida.
Shoshana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שׁוֹשַׁנָּה(Hebrew)
Modern Hebrew form of Susanna.
Shiri
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שׁירי(Hebrew)
Means "my song" in Hebrew.
Shira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שִׁירָה(Hebrew)
Means "singing" in Hebrew.
Shiloh
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: שִׁלוֹ, שִׁילֹה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: SHIE-lo(English)
Personal remark: That which is his
From an Old Testament place name possibly meaning "tranquil" in Hebrew. It is also used prophetically in the Old Testament to refer to a person, often understood to be the Messiah (see Genesis 49:10). This may in fact be a mistranslation.

This name was brought to public attention after actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave it to their daughter in 2006.

Shifra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: שִׁףְרָה(Hebrew)
Hebrew form of Shiphrah.
Shepherd
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SHEHP-ərd
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Shemaiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: שְׁמַעְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: shi-MIE-ə(English)
Means "heard by Yahweh" in Hebrew, from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name is borne by many characters in the Old Testament including a prophet in the reign of Rehoboam.
Shem
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: שֵׁם(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: SHEHM(English)
Means "name" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Shem is one of Noah's three sons (along with Japheth and Ham) and the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
Shelah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: שֵׁלָה, שֵׁלָח(Ancient Hebrew)
This name is used in the English Bible to represent two unrelated Hebrew names: שֵׁלָה (see Shela) and שֵׁלָח (see Shelach).
Shekinah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
From the Hebrew word שׁכִינה (sheḵina) meaning "God's manifested glory" or "God's presence". This word does not appear in the Bible, but later Jewish scholars used it to refer to the dwelling place of God, especially the Temple in Jerusalem.
Shaya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Hebrew
In Arabic, means "worthy, deserving". In Hebrew, likely the feminine form of Shay 2.
Shay 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שַׁי(Hebrew)
Alternate transcription of Hebrew שַׁי (see Shai).
Sharayah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שָׁרְיָה(Hebrew)
Possibly derives from the Hebrew שָׁרְיָה (sharyah) meaning "Yahweh has sung", from שָׁר (shar) meaning "to sing" combined with יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.

The name was popularized by singer/songwriter Amy Grant in 1985 on the Album 'Ungaurded' entitled song Sharayah.

Shara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Possibly a variant of Sharon modelled on Cara, Tara and Sarah.
Shalom
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שָׁלוֹם(Hebrew)
Pronounced: sha-LOM
Means "peace" in Hebrew.
Shalev
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: שָׁלֵו(Hebrew)
Means "calm, tranquil" in Hebrew.
Shaiah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew (Modern, Rare)
Other Scripts: שַׁיָה(Hebrew)
Combination of the name Shai and the letters יה (ya) which are part of the name of God.
Seth 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: שֵׁת(Ancient Hebrew) Σήθ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SETH(English)
From the Hebrew name שֵׁת (Sheṯ) meaning "placed, set". In the Old Testament he is the third named son of Adam and Eve, and the ancestor of Noah and all humankind. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Sephora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical Greek, English
Other Scripts: צִפוֹרָה(Hebrew)
Greek form of Zipporah.
Senna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), Literature, Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Pronounced: SEN-a(English, Brazilian Portuguese)
Derived from the plant named Senna. The name is a variant of the Arabic name Sana, which means "brilliance, radiance, splendour."

In literature, this is the name of a female antagonist and witch from K.A. Applegate's series Everworld as well as a character in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga.

Sena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish
Turkish form of Thana.
Selah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: סֶלַה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: SEE-lə(English)
From a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms. It was probably meant to indicate a musical pause.
Sari 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Finnish
Pronounced: SAH-ree
Finnish variant of Saara.
Sapphire
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAF-ie-ər
From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).
Sana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: سناء(Arabic)
Pronounced: sa-NA
Personal remark: "brilliance, radiance, splendour"
Alternate transcription of Arabic سناء (see Sanaa).
Samuel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
Other Scripts: שְׁמוּאֵל(Hebrew) ሳሙኤል(Amharic)
Pronounced: SAM-yoo-əl(English) SAM-yəl(English) SA-MWEHL(French) ZA-mwehl(German) SA-muy-ehl(Dutch) sa-MWEHL(Spanish) su-moo-EHL(European Portuguese) sa-moo-EW(Brazilian Portuguese) sa-MOO-ehl(Polish) SA-moo-ehl(Czech, Slovak, Swedish) SAH-moo-ehl(Finnish)
Personal remark: "Sam"
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.

As a Christian name, Samuel came into common use after the Protestant Reformation. It has been consistently popular in the English-speaking world, ranking yearly in the top 100 names in the United States (as recorded since 1880) and performing similarly well in the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), American inventor Samuel Morse (1791-1872), Irish writer Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), and American actor Samuel L. Jackson (1948-). This was also the real name, Samuel Clemens, of the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910).

Samson
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English, French, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: שִׁםְשׁוֹן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: SAM-sən(English) SAHN-SAWN(French)
Personal remark: “Sam”
From the Hebrew name שִׁםְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "sun". Samson was an Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.

This name was known among the Normans due to the Welsh bishop Saint Samson, who founded monasteries in Brittany and Normandy in the 6th century. In his case, the name may have been a translation of his true Celtic name. As an English name, Samson was common during the Middle Ages, having been introduced by the Normans. It is currently most common in Africa, especially in countries that have an British colonial past.

Salma
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian
Other Scripts: سلمى(Arabic) سلمیٰ(Urdu) সালমা(Bengali)
Pronounced: SAL-ma(Arabic)
Means "safe" in Arabic, derived from سلم (salima) meaning "to be safe".
Sailor
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAY-lər
Transferred use of the surname Sailor or directly from the English vocabulary word sailor, denoting one who works on a ship.
Sage
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAYJ
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Safira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese
Pronounced: su-FEE-ru(European Portuguese) sa-FEE-ru(Brazilian Portuguese)
Portuguese form of Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for "sapphire".
Saffron
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: SAF-rən
From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (zaʿfarān), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".
Sadie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SAY-dee
Diminutive of Sarah.
Ruth 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: רוּת(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ROOTH(English) ROOT(German, Spanish)
Personal remark: "Ruthie"
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.

As a Christian name, Ruth has been in use since the Protestant Reformation. In England it was associated with the archaic word ruth meaning "pity, compassion" (now only commonly seen in the word ruthless). The name became very popular in America following the birth of "Baby" Ruth Cleveland (1891-1904), the daughter of President Grover Cleveland.

Rupert
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English
Pronounced: ROO-pehrt(German) ROO-pərt(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-).
Rufus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, English, Biblical
Pronounced: ROO-foos(Latin) ROO-fəs(English)
Roman cognomen meaning "red-haired" in Latin. Several early saints had this name, including one mentioned in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament. As a nickname it was used by William II Rufus, a king of England, because of his red hair. It came into general use in the English-speaking world after the Protestant Reformation.
Ruby
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ROO-bee
Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century [1].
Roxy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHK-see
Diminutive of Roxana.
Roxanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: rahk-SAN-ə
Personal remark: “Roxie”
Variant of Roxana.
Rowan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: RO-ən(English)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).
Rosy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RO-zee
Diminutive of Rose.
Rosemary
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ROZ-mə-ree, ROZ-mehr-ee
Personal remark: “Romy”
Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
Rose
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: ROZ
Personal remark: “Rosie”
Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
Rosabella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Variant of Rosabel.
Rosa 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English
Pronounced: RO-sa(Spanish, Dutch) RAW-za(Italian) RAW-zu(European Portuguese) HAW-zu(Brazilian Portuguese) RAW-zə(Catalan) RO-za(German) RO-zə(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).
Romi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: רוֹמִי(Hebrew)
Means "my height, my exaltation" in Hebrew.
Rocky
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHK-ee
Diminutive of Rocco and other names beginning with a similar sound, or else a nickname referring to a tough person. This is the name of the boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) in the movie Rocky (1976) and its sequels.
Robin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Pronounced: RAHB-in(American English) RAWB-in(British English) RAW-BEHN(French) RAW-bin(Dutch) RO-bin(Czech)
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
River
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: RIV-ər
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".
Rio 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 莉央, 莉緒, 里桜, etc.(Japanese Kanji) りお(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: REE-O
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (o) meaning "center", (o) meaning "thread" or (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Rhoda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English
Other Scripts: Ῥόδη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: RO-də(English)
Derived from Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose". In the New Testament this name was borne by a maid in the house of Mary the mother of John Mark. As an English given name, Rhoda came into use in the 17th century.
Rex
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: REHKS
From Latin rex meaning "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Reverie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: REHV-ə-ree
From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".
Reuben
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, English
Other Scripts: רְאוּבֵן(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ROO-bən(English)
Means "behold, a son" in Hebrew, derived from רָאָה (raʾa) meaning "to see" and בֵּן (ben) meaning "son". In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.
Remiel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Variant of Jeremiel appearing in some versions of the Old Testament.
Remi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Norwegian
Norwegian spelling of Rémi and short form of Jeremias.
Remény
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hungarian (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: REH-mehn
Directly taken from Hungarian remény "hope". Theories include that this name was coined as a translation of Nadezhda.
Rejoyce
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Puritan)
Pronounced: REE-jois
Personal remark: For maternal gma's mn Joyce
Unaware of the puritanical history of the name, modern users tend to consider it an alternate spelling of Rejoice influenced by the name Joyce.
Rehema
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).
Reed
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: REED
From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.
Rayen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Mapuche
Means "flower" in Mapuche.
Raphael
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Biblical
Other Scripts: רָפָאֵל, רְפָאֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: RA-fa-ehl(German) RAF-ee-əl(English) RAF-ay-ehl(English) rah-fie-EHL(English)
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.

This name has never been common in the English-speaking world, though it has been well-used elsewhere in Europe. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance master Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520), usually known simply as Raphael in English.

Rainbow
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: RAYN-bo
From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.
Rain 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: RAYN
Personal remark: “Rainy”
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Rahmi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Turkish
Pronounced: rah-MEE
Means "merciful" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic.
Quinn
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KWIN
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee.
Primrose
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: PRIM-roz
From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".
Presley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PREHS-lee
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest clearing" (Old English preost and leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).
Praise
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (African)
Pronounced: PRAYZ
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.
Prairie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Rare)
From the English word for a flat treeless grassland, taken from French prairie "meadow". This was used by Thomas Pynchon for a character in his novel 'Vineland' (1990).
Posy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PO-zee
Diminutive of Josephine. It can also be inspired by the English word posy for a bunch of flowers.
Poppy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAHP-ee
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.
Phoenix
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: FEE-niks
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
Phoebe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: Φοίβη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: FEE-bee(English)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.

In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It was moderately common in the 19th century. It began to rise in popularity again in the late 1980s, probably helped along by characters on the American television shows Friends (1994-2004) and Charmed (1998-2006). It is currently much more common in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand than the United States.

A moon of Saturn bears this name, in honour of the Titan.

Petra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Other Scripts: Петра(Bulgarian) Πέτρα(Greek)
Pronounced: PEH-tra(German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak) PEH-traw(Hungarian) PEHT-rah(Finnish) PEHT-rə(English)
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Pearl
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PURL
From the English word pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
Peace
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (African)
Pronounced: PEES
From the English word peace, ultimately derived from Latin pax. This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Otis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: O-tis
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Ode, a cognate of Otto. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).
Oscar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: AHS-kər(English) AWS-kar(Italian, Swedish) AWS-kahr(Dutch) AWS-KAR(French)
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.

This name was popularized in continental Europe by the works of the 18th-century Scottish poet James Macpherson [1]. Napoleon was an admirer of Macpherson, and he suggested Oscar as the second middle name of his godson, who eventually became king of Sweden as Oscar I. Other notable bearers include the Irish writer and humorist Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012).

Oriel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אוריאל(Hebrew)
Pronounced: o-ree-EL
Combination of the names Ori and El means "My light is God", making it relative to Uriel.
Oriana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: o-RYA-na
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.
Opal
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: O-pəl
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Onyx
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AHN-iks
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".
Omar 2
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אוֹמָר(Ancient Hebrew)
Derived from Hebrew אָמַר (ʾamar) meaning "speak, say". This is the name of a son of Eliphaz in the Old Testament.
Olivine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), French (Rare), Jamaican Patois (Rare)
Pronounced: AWL-i-veen(British English) AHL-ə-veen(American English) AW-LEE-VEEN(French)
Diminutive or elaborated form of Olive, or directly from the English and French word olivine that denotes a type of gemstone, whose name ultimately goes back to Latin oliva "olive" (so named in the late 18th century for its olive green color).
Olivet
Usage: English
Oliver
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
Other Scripts: Оливер(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: AHL-i-vər(English) O-lee-vu(German) O-lee-vehr(Finnish) oo-lee-BEH(Catalan) O-li-vehr(Czech) AW-lee-vehr(Slovak)
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree" [1]. 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.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due in part to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist (1838), about a poor orphan living on the streets of London. It became very popular at the beginning of the 21st century, reaching the top rank for boys in England and Wales in 2009 and entering the top ten in the United States in 2017.

Olive
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: AHL-iv(English) AW-LEEV(French)
From the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin oliva.
Odeya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אוֹדֶיָּה(Hebrew)
Derived from a Hebrew phrase meaning "I will thank God", which is said to consist of Hebrew ode "I will thank, praise" (compare the Hebrew name Odelia 2) combined with Hebrew ya, yah "Yahweh". It is borne by Israeli-American actress Odeya Rush (1997-).
Obadiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: עֹבַדְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: o-bə-DIE-ə(English)
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד (ʿavaḏ) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.
Oak
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Old English āc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch eik and German Eiche.
Nuray
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kazakh
Other Scripts: Нұрай(Kazakh)
Means "bright moon" in Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kazakh, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Turkic ay meaning "moon".
Noah 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch (Modern), French (Modern), Biblical
Other Scripts: נֹחַ, נוֹחַ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: NO-ə(English) NO-a(German)
From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

As an English Christian name, Noah has been used since the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans. In the United States it was not overly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, but it began slowly growing in the 1970s. Starting 1994 it increased rapidly — this was when actor Noah Wyle (1971-) began starring on the television series ER. A further boost in 2004 from the main character in the movie The Notebook helped it eventually become the most popular name for boys in America between 2013 and 2016. At the same time it has also been heavily used in other English-speaking countries, as well as Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and France.

A famous bearer was the American lexicographer Noah Webster (1758-1843).

Nili
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: נִילִי(Hebrew)
Acronym of the phrase נצח ישׂראל לא ישׁקר (Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker) meaning "the eternity of Israel will not lie". This phrase appears in the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 15:29. It was used as the name of a Jewish spy network in Palestine during World War I.
Nicodemus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Νικόδημος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: nik-ə-DEE-məs(English) nee-ko-DEH-moos(Latin)
From the Greek name Νικόδημος (Nikodemos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This is the name of a character in the New Testament who helps Joseph of Arimathea entomb Jesus.
Nevaya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Modern, Rare)
Variant of Nevaeh.
Neriah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: נֵרִיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ni-RIE-ə(English)
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.
Nellie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish
Pronounced: NEHL-ee(English) NEH-li(Swedish)
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nayeli
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Zapotec (Hispanicized), Spanish (Mexican)
Pronounced: na-YEH-lee(Spanish)
Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".
Navia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Pronounced: Nahv-ee-uh
Elaboration of Nava
Naveed
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Other Scripts: نوید(Persian, Urdu) نويد(Arabic)
Pronounced: na-VEED(Persian) na-WEED(Arabic)
Alternate transcription of Persian نوید or Arabic نويد (see Navid), as well as the usual Urdu transcription.
Nava
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: נָאוָה(Hebrew)
Means "beautiful" in Hebrew.
Nancy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: NAN-see
Previously a medieval diminutive of Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.
Nalini
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
Other Scripts: ನಳಿನಿ(Kannada) നളിനി(Malayalam) நளினி(Tamil) नलिनी(Hindi)
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Nadia 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Italian, Spanish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Надя(Russian, Bulgarian) Надія(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: NA-DYA(French) NA-dya(Italian) NA-dhya(Spanish) NAD-ee-ə(English) NAHD-ee-ə(English) NA-dyə(Russian)
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century [1]. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-) [2].
Moses
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: מֹשֶׁה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: MOZ-is(English)
From the Hebrew name מֹשֶׁה (Moshe), which is most likely derived from Egyptian mes meaning "son". The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew מָשָׁה (masha) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10).

The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.

In England, this name has been commonly used by Christians since the Protestant Reformation, though it had long been popular among Jews.

Moriah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Other Scripts: מֹרִיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: mah-RIE-ə
From Hebrew מֹרִיָה (Moriya) possibly meaning "seen by Yahweh". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where Abraham is to sacrifice Isaac and the mountain upon which Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.
Molly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHL-ee
Medieval diminutive of Mary, now often used independently. It developed from Malle and Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel Ulysses (1922), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
Miriam
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Biblical
Other Scripts: מִרְיָם(Hebrew)
Pronounced: MIR-ee-əm(English) MI-ryam(German) MI-ri-yam(Czech) MEE-ree-am(Slovak)
Form of Mary used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of Moses and Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
Milo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: MIE-lo(English)
Old German form of Miles, as well as the Latinized form. This form was revived as an English name in the 19th century [2].
Milly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, English
Pronounced: MIL-ee(English)
Diminutive of Emilie, Mildred and other names containing the same sound.
Miles
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIELZ
From the Germanic name Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin miles meaning "soldier".

A notable bearer was the American musician Miles Davis (1926-1991). In Scotland this name was historically used to Anglicize Maoilios.

Merrily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Rare)
Pronounced: MER-i-lee(American English)
Old English myrge "pleasing, agreeable, pleasant, sweet; pleasantly, melodiously" from Proto-Germanic murgijaz, which probably originally meant "short-lasting."
Mercy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MUR-see
From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Memphis
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: MEHM-fis
From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".
Melina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Greek
Other Scripts: Μελίνα(Greek)
Pronounced: mə-LEE-nə(English)
Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as Melissa or from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
Meli
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: meh'lee
Means "honey" or "bee" in Hawaiian.
Melelani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: me-le-lah-nee
Means "heavenly song" from Hawaiian mele "song" and lani "heaven, sky".
Meg
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MEHG
Personal remark: "Meggie"
Medieval diminutive of Margaret. It is now also used as a short form of the related name Megan.
Meadow
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: MEHD-o
From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).
Mayim
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew (Rare), Jewish (Rare)
Other Scripts: מים(Hebrew)
From the Hebrew word מַיִם (máyim) meaning "water". In the case of Jewish-American actress Mayim Bialik (1975-), the name originated from a mispronunciation of the name Miriam (the name of her great-grandmother).
Mayella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Rare), Literature
Pronounced: may-EL-ə(American)
Personal remark: “Great”
Possibly a variant of Majella or a combination of May and Ella 1.

Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).

Mayah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Pronounced: May-Ah
means "Close to God"
Maya 3
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: מַיָּה(Hebrew)
Derived from Hebrew מַיִם (mayim) meaning "water".
Maximilian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Swedish, Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Pronounced: mak-see-MEE-lee-an(German) mak-sə-MIL-yən(English)
From the Roman name Maximilianus, which was derived from Maximus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr. In the 15th century the Holy Roman emperor Frederick III gave this name to his son and eventual heir. In this case it was a blend of the names of the Roman generals Fabius Maximus and Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus (see Emiliano), whom Frederick admired. It was subsequently borne by a second Holy Roman emperor, two kings of Bavaria, and a short-lived Habsburg emperor of Mexico.
Maxim
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech
Other Scripts: Максим(Russian, Ukrainian) Максім(Belarusian)
Pronounced: muk-SYEEM(Russian) MAK-sim(Czech)
Alternate transcription of Russian Максим or Belarusian Максім (see Maksim) or Ukrainian Максим (see Maksym). This is also the Czech form.
Max
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Other Scripts: Макс(Russian)
Pronounced: MAKS(German, English, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan) MAHKS(Dutch)
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.

Famous bearers include the German intellectual Max Weber (1864-1920) and the German physicist Max Planck (1858-1947). This name is also borne by the title character in the Mad Max series of movies, starting 1979.

Matisse
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French (Rare), Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
Pronounced: MA-TEES(French)
Transferred use of the surname Matisse. The surname was most famously borne by the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954), who is likely the reason behind the popularity of Matisse as a given name in the 21st century.

Matisse as a given name is strictly masculine in France. It is unisex in other countries, but often not equally so for the two genders: for example, it is predominantly feminine in the USA and predominantly masculine in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Matilda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish, Finnish, Slovak, Slovene
Pronounced: mə-TIL-də(English) MAH-teel-dah(Finnish) MA-teel-da(Slovak)
Personal remark: "Tilly"
From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.

The name was very popular until the 15th century in England, usually in the vernacular form Maud. Both forms were revived by the 19th century. This name appears in the popular Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda, written in 1895.

Mary
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: MEHR-ee(English) MAR-ee(English)
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. In the United States in 1880 it was given more than twice as often as the next most popular name for girls (Anna). It remained in the top rank in America until 1946 when it was bumped to second (by Linda). Although it regained the top spot for a few more years in the 1950s it was already falling in usage, and has since dropped out of the top 100 names.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of Frankenstein. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.

The Latinized form of this name, Maria, is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

Martha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek [1], Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Other Scripts: Μάρθα(Greek) Марѳа(Church Slavic)
Pronounced: MAHR-thə(English) MAHR-ta(Dutch) MAR-ta(German)
From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta) meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.

The name was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was Martha Washington (1731-1802), the wife of the first American president George Washington. It is also borne by the media personality Martha Stewart (1941-).

Marley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: MAHR-lee
From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Marigold
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: MAR-i-gold, MEHR-i-gold
Personal remark: “Goldie”
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.
Maple
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY-pəl
From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.
Malini
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi
Other Scripts: मालिनी(Hindi)
Means "fragrant" in Sanskrit.
Malachi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: מַלְאָכִי(Hebrew)
Pronounced: MAL-ə-kie(English)
From the Hebrew name מַלְאָכִי (Malʾaḵi) meaning "my messenger" or "my angel", derived from a possessive form of מַלְאָךְ (malʾaḵ) meaning "messenger, angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Makai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: African American
Possibly a variant of Mekhi or Makaio
Maisy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (British)
Pronounced: MAY-zee
Variant of Maisie.
Maisie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: MAY-zee(English)
Scottish diminutive of Mairead. It was long used in the United Kingdom and Australia, becoming popular at the end of the 20th century. In the United States it was brought to public attention by the British actress Maisie Williams (1997-), who played Arya Stark on the television series Game of Thrones beginning 2011. Her birth name is Margaret.
Maile
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: MIE-leh
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Magnolia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: mag-NO-lee-ə
Personal remark: "Maggie"
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Maggie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAG-ee
Diminutive of Margaret.
Mae
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY
Variant of May. A famous bearer was the American actress Mae West (1893-1980), whose birth name was Mary.
Mabel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY-bəl
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe [1], which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Lux
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: LUKS(English)
Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".
Luluah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: لؤلؤة(Arabic)
Pronounced: Lu'lu'ah, Loluam, Louluah, Lulua, Lulu'ah
Luluah is an Arabic name for girls that means “bead of pearl”.
Lulu 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: لؤلؤ(Arabic)
Pronounced: LOO-loo
Means "pearls" in Arabic.
Lula 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-lə
Diminutive of Louise and names that begin with Lu.
Luke
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: LOOK(English)
English form of Latin Lucas, from the Greek name Λουκᾶς (Loukas), probably a shortened form of Λουκανός (Loukanos) meaning "from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy. Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.

Due to the saint's renown, the name became common in the Christian world (in various spellings). As an English name, Luke has been in use since the 12th century alongside the Latin form Lucas. Both forms became popular throughout the English-speaking world towards the end of the 20th century. A famous fictional bearer was the hero Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies, beginning in 1977.

Lucy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-see
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Louis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, English, Dutch
Pronounced: LWEE(French) LOO-is(English) LOO-ee(English) loo-EE(Dutch)
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places.

Apart from royalty, this name was only moderately popular in France during the Middle Ages. After the French Revolution, when Louis XVI was guillotined, it became less common.

The Normans brought the name to England, where it was usually spelled Lewis, though the spelling Louis has been more common in America. Famous bearers include French scientist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), French actor Louis de Funès (1914-1983), Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), who wrote Treasure Island and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and American jazz musician Louis Armstrong (1901-1971).

Liron
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: לִירוֹן(Hebrew)
Means "my song, my joy" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and רֹן (ron) "joy, song".
Lior
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: לִיאוֹר(Hebrew)
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Lily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIL-ee
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lilia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Лилия(Russian) Лілія(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: LEE-lya(Spanish) LYEE-lyi-yə(Russian)
Spanish and Italian form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Liberty
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIB-ər-tee
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].
Levi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, English, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: לֵוִי(Hebrew)
Pronounced: LEE-vie(English) LEH-vee(Dutch)
Possibly means "joined, attached" in Hebrew. As told in the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, known as the Levites. This was the tribe that formed the priestly class of the Israelites. The brothers Moses and Aaron were members. This name also occurs in the New Testament, where it is borne by a son of Alphaeus. He might be the same person as the apostle Matthew.

As an English Christian name, Levi came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

Leo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Other Scripts: Լեո(Armenian)
Pronounced: LEH-o(German, Danish, Finnish) LEH-yo(Dutch) LEE-o(English)
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.
Lennox
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: LEHN-əks
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.
Lenna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Danish (Rare), English
Pronounced: LEN-ə(English)
Personal remark: Brave lion, lion strength
Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a Danish and English variant of Lena (in the case of the English name the spelling mimicks the pronunciation of Lena in various European languages), a Danish diminutive of Leonharda and a modern English feminine form of Lennon.
Leilani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: lay-LA-nee
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Layla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, English
Other Scripts: ليلى(Arabic)
Pronounced: LIE-la(Arabic) LAY-lə(English)
Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.
Lark
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: LAHRK
From the English word for the type of songbird.
Lani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: LA-nee
Means "sky, heaven, royal, majesty" in Hawaiian.
Koah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (American, Rare), English (Canadian, Rare)
Meaning and origin uncertain. It might possibly be derived from Hebrew כוח (koah) meaning "strength, power" or from Hebrew כֹּחַ (koach) meaning "ability".
Koa
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: KO-a
Means "warrior, koa tree" in Hawaiian.
Kit
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIT
Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.
Kip
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIP
From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".
Kinzi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic (Egyptian)
Other Scripts: كنزي(Egyptian Arabic)
Pronounced: Kin-ZEE(Egyptian Arabic)
Egyptian Arabic for "my treasure"- the word "kinz" means treasure, with the "i" denoting possession.
Keziah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: קְצִיעָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: kə-ZIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name קְצִיעָה (Qetsiʿa) meaning "cassia, cinnamon", from the name of the spice tree. In the Old Testament she is a daughter of Job.
Keshet
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: קֶשֶׁת(Hebrew)
Means "rainbow" in Hebrew.
Keanu
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: keh-A-noo
Means "the cool breeze" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Kai 3
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: KIE
Means "sea" in Hawaiian.
Judah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יְהוּדָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JOO-də(English)
From the Hebrew name יְהוּדָה (Yehuḏa), probably derived from יָדָה (yaḏa) meaning "praise". In the Old Testament Judah is the fourth of the twelve sons of Jacob by Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Judah. An explanation for his name is given in Genesis 29:35. His tribe eventually formed the Kingdom of Judah in the south of Israel. King David and Jesus were among the descendants of him and his wife Tamar. This name was also borne by Judah Maccabee, the Jewish priest who revolted against Seleucid rule in the 2nd century BC, as told in the deuterocanonical Books of Maccabees.

The name appears in the New Testament with the spellings Judas and Jude.

Jubilee
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern), Popular Culture
Pronounced: joo-bə-LEE(English) JOO-bə-lee(English)
From the English word jubilee meaning "season of rejoicing", which is derived from Hebrew יוֹבֵל (yovel) "ram, ram's horn; a jubilee year: a year of rest, prescribed by the Jewish Bible to occur each fiftieth year, after seven cycles of seven years; a period of celebration or rejoicing" (via Late Latin iubilaeus and Greek ἰώβηλος (iobelos)). In Latin, the form of the word was altered by association with the unrelated Latin verb iubilare "to shout with joy".

It may also refer to African-American folk songs known as Jubilees.

In popular culture, Jubilee is the 'mutant' name (a contraction of Jubilation Lee) of one of the protagonists of Marvel's X-Men line of comics.

Joy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JOI
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Jovie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Modern), Popular Culture
Pronounced: JO-vee
Inspired by the English word jovial meaning "merry; cheerful and good-humored", which is itself derived from the name of the god Jove. Zooey Deschanel played a character by this name in the popular 2003 Christmas movie Elf.

In some cases, it could be a diminutive of Jovan or Jovana or a variant of Jovi.

Joseph
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Biblical
Other Scripts: יוֹסֵף(Ancient Hebrew) ജോസഫ്(Malayalam)
Pronounced: JO-səf(English) ZHO-ZEHF(French) YO-zehf(German)
From Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root יָסַף (yasaf) meaning "to add, to increase". In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob and the first with his wife Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.

In the Middle Ages, Joseph was a common Jewish name, being less frequent among Christians. In the late Middle Ages Saint Joseph became more highly revered, and the name became popular in Spain and Italy. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation. In the United States it has stayed within the top 25 names for boys since 1880, making it one of the most enduringly popular names of this era.

This name was borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Portugal. Other notable bearers include Austrian composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), the founder of Mormonism Joseph Smith (1805-1844), Polish-British author Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) and Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (1878-1953).

Jordana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, Macedonian, Serbian, English (Rare)
Other Scripts: Јордана(Macedonian, Serbian)
Pronounced: khor-DHA-na(Spanish) jawr-DAN-ə(English)
Feminine form of Jordan.
Jordan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Јордан(Macedonian, Serbian) יַרְדֵן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAWR-dən(American English) JAW-dən(British English) ZHAWR-DAHN(French)
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning "descend, flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.

This name died out after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. In America and other countries it became fairly popular in the second half of the 20th century. A famous bearer of the surname is former basketball star Michael Jordan (1963-).

Jonathan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
Other Scripts: יוֹנָתָן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAHN-ə-thən(American English) JAWN-ə-thən(British English) ZHAW-NA-TAHN(French) YO-na-tan(German) YO-na-tahn(Dutch)
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonaṯan), contracted to יוֹנָתָן (Yonaṯan), meaning "Yahweh has given", derived from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.

As an English name, Jonathan did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was the Anglo-Irish satirist Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), who wrote Gulliver's Travels and other works.

Jonah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Other Scripts: יוֹנָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JO-nə(English)
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.

Jonah's story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the Hellenized form Jonas was occasionally used in England. The form Jonah did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation.

Johanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, English, Late Roman
Pronounced: yo-HA-na(German) yuw-HAN-na(Swedish) yo-HAHN-nah(Danish) yo-HAH-na(Dutch) YO-hawn-naw(Hungarian) YO-hahn-nah(Finnish) jo-HAN-ə(English) jo-AN-ə(English)
Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).
Jobe
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Igede
Means "give thanks" in Igede, spoken in Nigeria. Alternative meanings are "gratitude" or "be grateful".
Jethro
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יִתְרוֹ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JETH-ro(English)
From the Hebrew name יִתְרוֹ (Yiṯro), which was derived from the Hebrew word יֶתֶר (yeṯer) meaning "abundance" [1]. According to the Old Testament, Jethro was a Midianite priest who sheltered Moses when he fled Egypt. He was the father of Zipporah, who became Moses's wife. A famous bearer of the name was Jethro Tull (1674-1741), an English inventor and agriculturist.
Jesse
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, Finnish, Biblical
Other Scripts: יִשַׁי(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JEHS-ee(English) YEH-sə(Dutch) YEHS-seh(Finnish)
From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift" or יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning "existence". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation.

A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.

Jeremiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Other Scripts: יִרְםְיָהוּ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: jehr-i-MIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name יִרְםְיָהוּ (Yirmeyahu) meaning "Yahweh will exalt", from the roots רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations (supposedly). He lived to see the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.

In England, though the vernacular form Jeremy had been occasionally used since the 13th century, the form Jeremiah was not common until after the Protestant Reformation.

Jemimah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English (Rare)
Pronounced: jə-MIE-mə(English)
Variant of Jemima.
Jemima
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English
Other Scripts: יְמִימָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: jə-MIE-mə(English)
Traditionally said to mean "dove", it may actually be related to Hebrew יוֹמָם (yomam) meaning "daytime" [1]. This was the oldest of the three daughters of Job in the Old Testament. As an English name, Jemima first became common during the Puritan era.
Jehosheba
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יְהוֹשֶׁבַע(Ancient Hebrew)
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֶׁבַע (Yehoshevaʿ) meaning "Yahweh is an oath", derived from יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". In the Old Testament she is the daughter of King Jehoram of Judah. With her husband Jehoiada she rescued the future king Joash, her nephew, from a purge.
Jed
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JEHD
Short form of Jedidiah.
Jasper
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Pronounced: JAS-pər(English) YAHS-pər(Dutch)
From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer" [1], derived from Old Persian ganzabarah. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.
Jasmine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: JAZ-min(English) ZHAS-MEEN(French)
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans [1]. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Japheth
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יֶפֶת(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAY-fith(English)
From the Hebrew name יֶפֶת (Yefeṯ) meaning "enlarged". In the Old Testament he is one of the three sons of Noah, along with Shem and Ham. He was the ancestor of the peoples of Europe and northern Asia.
Jane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAYN
Medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only nine days, British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-), and American actress Jane Fonda (1937-). This is also the name of the central character in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), which tells of Jane's sad childhood and her relationship with Edward Rochester.

Jairus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
From Ἰάϊρος (Iairos), the Greek form of Jair used in the New Testament, where it belongs to the father of a young girl brought back to life by Jesus.
Ivy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: IE-vee
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Ithiel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אִיתִיאֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Possibly means "God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Israel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: יִשְׂרָאֵל(Hebrew) Ἰσραήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: IZ-ray-əl(English) IZ-ree-əl(English) eez-ra-EHL(Spanish)
From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.
Ishmerai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יִשְׁםְרַי(Ancient Hebrew)
Means "he guards me" in Hebrew, derived from שָׁמַר (shamar) meaning "to guard". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Isaiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Other Scripts: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ie-ZAY-ə(American English) ie-ZIE-ə(British English)
From the Hebrew name יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Yeshaʿyahu) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Isaiah is one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, supposedly the author of the Book of Isaiah. He was from Jerusalem and probably lived in the 8th century BC, at a time when Assyria threatened the Kingdom of Judah. As an English Christian name, Isaiah was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
Isaac
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: יִץְחָק(Hebrew)
Pronounced: IE-zək(English) ee-sa-AK(Spanish) EE-ZAK(French) EE-ZA-AK(French)
From the Hebrew name יִץְחָק (Yitsḥaq) meaning "he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from צָחַק (tsaḥaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of Esau and Jacob with his wife Rebecca.

As an English Christian name, Isaac was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, though it was more common among Jews. It became more widespread after the Protestant Reformation. Famous bearers include the physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton (1643-1727) and the science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov (1920-1992).

Iris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Other Scripts: Ἶρις(Ancient Greek) Ίρις(Greek)
Pronounced: IE-ris(English) EE-ris(German, Dutch) EE-rees(Finnish, Spanish, Catalan, Italian) EE-REES(French)
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Indigo
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: IN-di-go
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".
India
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish (Modern)
Pronounced: IN-dee-ə(English) EEN-dya(Spanish)
From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Hugo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: OO-gho(Spanish) OO-goo(Portuguese) HYOO-go(English) HUY-gho(Dutch) HOO-go(German) UY-GO(French)
Old German form of Hugh. As a surname it has belonged to the French author Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the writer of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Hosea
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: הוֹשֵׁעַ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ho-ZAY-ə(English) ho-ZEE-ə(English)
Variant English form of Hoshea, though the name is spelled the same in the Hebrew text. Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Hosea. Written in the northern kingdom, it draws parallels between his relationship with his unfaithful wife and the relationship between God and his people.
Hosanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Pronounced: ho-ZAN-ə(English)
From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.
Hope
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HOP
From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Honey
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: HUN-ee
Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.
Holly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHL-ee
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Hezekiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: חִזְקִיָהוּ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: hehz-ə-KIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name חִזְקִיָהוּ (Ḥizqiyahu), which means "Yahweh strengthens", from the roots חָזַק (ḥazaq) meaning "to strength" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet Zephaniah.
Hepzibah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: חֶףְצִי־בָּה(Ancient Hebrew)
Variant of Hephzibah.
Hazel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAY-zəl
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Haven
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAY-vən
From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.
Harry
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAR-ee, HEHR-ee
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Hannah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַנָּה(Hebrew) حنّة(Arabic)
Pronounced: HAN-ə(English) HA-na(German) HAH-na(Dutch) HAN-na(Arabic)
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.

As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation, unlike the vernacular forms Anne and Ann and the Latin form Anna, which were used from the late Middle Ages. In the last half of the 20th century Hannah surged in popularity and neared the top of the name rankings for both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Hananiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: חֲנַןְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: han-ə-NIE-ə(English)
Means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew, from חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew name of Shadrach.
Hallelujah
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: hah-le-LOO-yə
From the English word hallelujah, uttered in worship or as an expression of rejoicing, ultimately from Hebrew הַלְּלוּיָהּ (halleluyah) meaning "praise ye the Lord."
Haddon
Usage: English
Pronounced: HA-duhn
Derived from the Old English word had meaning "heathland" and the Old English suffix -don meaning "hill"; hence, the "heathland hill" or the "heather-covered hill".

English: habitational name from any of the various places, in Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, and Devon, named with Old English h?ð ‘heathland’, ‘heather’ + dun ‘hill’, or from Haddon in Cambridgeshire, which is probably named from the Old English personal name Headda + dun.

Hadassah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew
Other Scripts: הֲדַסָּה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: hə-DAS-ə(English)
From Hebrew הֲדַס (haḏas) meaning "myrtle tree". In the Old Testament this is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther.
Grace
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: GRAYS
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.

This name was very popular in the English-speaking world at the end of the 19th century. Though it declined in use over the next 100 years, it staged a successful comeback at the end of the 20th century. The American sitcom Will and Grace (1998-2006) may have helped, though the name was already strongly rising when it premiered. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in 2006.

Goldie 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yiddish
Variant of Golda.
Golda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yiddish
Other Scripts: גאָלדאַ, גאָלדע(Yiddish) גּוֹלְדָּה(Hebrew)
From Yiddish גאָלד (gold) meaning "gold". This is the name of Tevye's wife in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964). It was also borne by the Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (1898-1978).
Giselle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English (Modern)
Pronounced: ZHEE-ZEHL(French) ji-ZEHL(English)
Personal remark: "Gigi"
Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.

The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Ginger
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JIN-jər
From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of Virginia, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.
Gigi 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: ZHEE-ZHEE
French diminutive of Georgine or Virginie.
Gideon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, English, Dutch
Other Scripts: גִּדְעוֹן(Hebrew)
Pronounced: GID-ee-ən(English) GHEE-deh-awn(Dutch)
From the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning "feller, hewer", derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning "to cut, to hew" [1]. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world, Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
Gia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian (Rare)
Pronounced: JEE-a
Personal remark: Yahweh is gracious
Diminutive of Gianna.
Georgia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Greek
Other Scripts: Γεωργία(Greek)
Pronounced: JAWR-jə(English) yeh-or-YEE-a(Greek)
Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
Genesis
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: JEHN-ə-sis
Means "birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of Adam and Eve, Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.
Gene
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JEEN
Short form of Eugene.
Gemma
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Pronounced: JEHM-ma(Italian) ZHEHM-mə(Catalan) JEHM-ə(British English) GHEH-ma(Dutch)
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Gabriel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: გაბრიელ(Georgian) גַּבְרִיאֵל(Ancient Hebrew) Γαβριήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: GA-BREE-YEHL(French) ga-BRYEHL(Spanish) ga-bree-EHL(European Portuguese, Romanian) ga-bree-EW(Brazilian Portuguese) GA-bree-ehl(German, Slovak, Latin) GAH-bri-ehl(Swedish) GAH-bree-ehl(Finnish) gə-bree-EHL(Catalan) GAY-bree-əl(English) GAB-ryehl(Polish) GA-bri-yehl(Czech)
Personal remark: "Gabe"
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.

This name has been used occasionally in England since the 12th century. It was not common in the English-speaking world until the end of the 20th century.

Freya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
Pronounced: FRAY-ə(English) FRAY-a(German)
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.

This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.

Fred
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian
Pronounced: FREHD(English, French, Portuguese) FREHT(Dutch, German)
Short form of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A famous bearer was the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987). It was also borne by the cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone on the television series The Flintstones (1960-1966).
Fox
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: FAHKS
Either from the English word fox or the surname Fox, which originally given as a nickname. The surname was borne by George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Quakers.
Forest
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAWR-ist
Variant of Forrest, or else directly from the English word forest.
Florence
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: FLAWR-əns(English) FLAW-RAHNS(French)
From the Latin name Florentius or the feminine form Florentia, which were derived from florens "prosperous, flourishing". Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.

This name can also be given in reference to the city in Italy, as in the case of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), who was born there to British parents. She was a nurse in military hospitals during the Crimean War and is usually considered the founder of modern nursing.

Flora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Other Scripts: Φλώρα(Greek)
Pronounced: FLAWR-ə(English) FLAW-ra(Italian) FLO-ra(Spanish, German, Dutch, Latin) FLAW-ru(Portuguese) FLAW-RA(French)
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.
Fern
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FURN
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Ferelith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish (Rare), English (British, Rare)
Personal remark: Fair-eh-leith
Anglicized form of Forbflaith.
Fenna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Frisian, Dutch
Pronounced: FEH-na(Dutch)
Personal remark: “Peace”
Feminine form of Fen 2.
Felix
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Pronounced: FEH-liks(German, Dutch, Swedish) FEE-liks(English) FEH-leeks(Latin)
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.

Due to its favourable meaning, this name was popular among early Christians, being borne by many early saints and four popes. It has been used in England since the Middle Ages, though it has been more popular in continental Europe. A notable bearer was the German composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).

Felicity
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: fə-LIS-i-tee
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Fawn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAWN
From the English word fawn for a young deer.
Faith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAYTH
Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Ezri
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Pronounced: ez-ree
Means "my helper" in Hebrew. In the Bible Ezri was an overseer during King David's reign.
Ezra
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: עֶזְרָא(Hebrew)
Pronounced: EHZ-rə(English)
Means "help" in Hebrew. Ezra is a prophet of the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Ezra. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. The American poet Ezra Pound (1885-1972) was a famous bearer.
Ezekiel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English
Other Scripts: יְחֶזְקֵאל(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: i-ZEE-kee-əl(English)
From the Hebrew name יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yeḥezqel) meaning "God will strengthen", from the roots חָזַק (ḥazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name, Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Evelyn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: EHV-ə-lin(English) EEV-lin(British English) EEV-ə-lin(British English) EH-və-leen(German)
Personal remark: "Evie"
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.

This name was popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 20th century. It staged a comeback in the early 21st century, returning to the American top ten in 2017.

Eve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Estonian, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַוָּה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: EEV(English)
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Despite this potentially negative association, the name was occasionally used by Christians during the Middle Ages. In the English-speaking world both Eve and the Latin form Eva were revived in the 19th century, with the latter being more common.

Evangeline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: i-VAN-jə-leen, i-VAN-jə-lien
Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline [1][2]. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Eva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Other Scripts: Εύα(Greek) Ева(Bulgarian, Russian, Church Slavic) ევა(Georgian) Էվա(Armenian)
Pronounced: EH-ba(Spanish) EH-va(Italian, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic, Greek) EE-və(English) EH-fa(German) EH-vah(Danish) YEH-və(Russian) EH-VAH(Georgian) EH-wa(Latin)
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.

This is also an alternate transcription of Russian Ева (see Yeva).

Ethel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ETH-əl
Short form of names beginning with the Old English element æðele meaning "noble". It was coined in the 19th century, when many Old English names were revived. It was popularized by the novels The Newcomes (1855) by William Makepeace Thackeray and The Daisy Chain (1856) by C. M. Yonge. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Ethel Merman (1908-1984).
Esther
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: אֶסְתֵר(Hebrew) Ἐσθήρ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EHS-tər(English, Dutch) EHS-TEHR(French) ehs-TEHR(Spanish) EHS-tu(German)
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.

This name has been used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. In America it received a boost in popularity after the birth of Esther Cleveland (1893-1980), the daughter of President Grover Cleveland [1].

Esmeray
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish
Derived from Turkish esmer "dark" and ay "moon".
Esmeralda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Pronounced: ehz-meh-RAL-da(Spanish) izh-mi-RAL-du(European Portuguese) ehz-meh-ROW-du(Brazilian Portuguese) ehz-mə-RAHL-də(English)
Personal remark: “Esme”
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Esme
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHZ-may, EHZ-mee
Variant of Esmé.
Esmae
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: EHZ-may
Feminine form of Esmé.
Eshana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indian
Other Scripts: एषणा(Hindi)
MEANING - desire, solicitation, seeking with
Indian pronunciation - eshaNaa, eshaNA
Origin - Sanskrit, Indian, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali, Sinhala, Hindi, Mauritian, Fijian, Buddhist, Sikh
Esha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi
Other Scripts: एषा(Hindi)
Means "desire, wish" in Sanskrit.
Ernest
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Catalan, Polish, Slovak, Slovene
Pronounced: UR-nist(English) EHR-NEST(French) ər-NEST(Catalan) EHR-nest(Polish)
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).
Eriayomi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yoruba
Pronounced: Eh, REE, aye, ohmi
My testimony of joy, "Ayomi" being "my joy."
Can also translate to, "my joy has come"

Yoruba origin.

Ephraim
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: אֶףְרָיִם(Hebrew) Ἐφραίμ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EEF-ree-əm(English) EEF-rəm(English)
From the Hebrew name אֶףְרָיִם (ʾEfrayim) meaning "fruitful". In the Old Testament Ephraim is a son of Joseph and Asenath and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This name was also borne by two early saints: Ephraim or Ephrem the Syrian, a 4th-century theologian, and Ephraim of Antioch, a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Enoch
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: חֲנוֹך(Ancient Hebrew) Ἐνώχ, Ἑνώχ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EE-nək(English)
From the Hebrew name חֲנוֹך (Ḥanoḵ) meaning "dedicated". In Genesis in the Old Testament this is the name of the son of Cain. It is also the name of a son of Jared and the father of Methuselah, who was the supposed author of the apocryphal Books of Enoch.
Emmie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM-ee
Diminutive of Emma or Emily.
Emmanuel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, French, English
Other Scripts: עִמָּנוּאֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: EH-MA-NWEHL(French) i-MAN-yoo-ehl(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 [1]. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).
Emi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 恵美, 絵美, etc.(Japanese Kanji) えみ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: EH-MEE
From Japanese (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Emerald
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: EHM-ə-rəld
Personal remark: “Emme”
From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Ember
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: EHM-bər
From the English word ember, ultimately from Old English æmerge.
Elvis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-vis
Meaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of Alvis or Elwin. More likely, it is from the rare surname Elvis, a variant of Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name Eloise. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.

This name is also used as an Anglicized form of Irish Ailbhe.

Elsie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish
Pronounced: EHL-see(English)
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Elroi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אלרואי, אֵלרוֹאִי, אֵל רֳאִי(Hebrew)
Pronounced: eh-leh-raw-EE, eh-leh-ro-EE, ehl-ro-EE
From the Hebrew name אֵלרוֹאִי ’elrō’î meaning "God who sees me", derived from the elements אֵל 'el "God" and ראי r’j as participle with suffix.
In the book of Genesis, Hagar calls God by this name, after he saves her in the desert.
Although it is not used as a given name in the bible, Elroi is a common name in Israel, ranking #65 in 2020.
Elowen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Cornish
Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Elm
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Catalan, English
Catalan form of Elmo, as well as a short form of Elmer. The name may also be taken directly from the English word elm, a type of tree.
Elly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: EHL-ee(English) EH-lee(Dutch)
Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth or an English variant of Ellie.
Ellie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-ee
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
Elizabeth
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: i-LIZ-ə-bəth(English)
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElishevaʿ) meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.

Among Christians, this name was originally more common in Eastern Europe. It was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of King Andrew II who used her wealth to help the poor. In medieval England it was occasionally used in honour of the saint, though the form Isabel (from Occitan and Spanish) was more common. It has been very popular in England since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. In American name statistics (as recorded since 1880) it has never ranked lower than 30, making it the most consistently popular name for girls in the United States.

Besides Elizabeth I, this name has been borne (in various spellings) by many other European royals, including a ruling empress of Russia in the 18th century. Famous modern bearers include the British queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011).

Elishua
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אֱלִישׁוּעַ(Ancient Hebrew)
From Hebrew אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ), an extended form of אֱלִישַׁע (see Elisha). In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of King David.
Elisheva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אֱלִישֶׁבַע(Hebrew)
Hebrew form of Elizabeth.
Elisheba
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אֱלִישֶׁבַע(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ə-LISH-i-bə(English)
Form of Elizabeth used in many versions of the Old Testament, where it belongs to the wife of Aaron.
Eliora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֱלִיאוֹרָה(Hebrew)
Feminine form of Elior.
Elior
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֱלִיאוֹר(Hebrew)
Means "my God is my light" in Hebrew.
Elioenai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי(Ancient Hebrew)
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.
Elijah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: אֱלִיָּהוּ(Hebrew)
Pronounced: i-LIE-jə(English) i-LIE-zhə(English)
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning "my God is Yahweh", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) and יָהּ (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus when he is transfigured.

Because Elijah was a popular figure in medieval tales, and because his name was borne by a few early saints (who are usually known by the Latin form Elias), the name came into general use during the Middle Ages. In medieval England it was usually spelled Elis. It died out there by the 16th century, but it was revived by the Puritans in the form Elijah after the Protestant Reformation. The name became popular during the 1990s and 2000s, especially in America where it broke into the top ten in 2016.

Eliezer
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: אֱלִיעֶזֶר(Hebrew) Ἐλιέζερ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ehl-ee-EHZ-ər(English) ehl-ee-EE-zər(English)
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיעֶזֶר (ʾEliʿezer) meaning "my God is help", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and עֵזֶר (ʿezer) meaning "help". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a servant of Abraham and one of the sons of Moses (see Exodus 18:4 for an explanation of the significance of the name). It also appears in the New Testament belonging to an ancestor of Jesus in the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke.
Eliel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1], Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Other Scripts: אֱלִיאֵל(Ancient Hebrew) Ἐλιήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EH-lee-ehl(Finnish) eh-lee-EW(Brazilian Portuguese)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.
Eliana 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֶלִיעַנָה(Hebrew)
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Eliada
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֶלְיָדָע(Hebrew)
Means "God knows" in Hebrew (or possibly "God knew" or "God (is) knowing"). In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, including a son of King David.
Eleazar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: אֶלְעָזָר(Ancient Hebrew) Ἐλεάζαρ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ehl-ee-AY-zər(English)
From the Hebrew name אֶלְעָזָר (ʾElʿazar) meaning "God has helped", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "to help". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the sons of Aaron. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to one of the ancestors of Jesus in the genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew.
Ekundayo
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Yoruba
Means "tears become joy" in Yoruba.
Edwin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: EHD-win(English) EHT-vin(Dutch)
Means "rich friend", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
Edmund
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Polish
Pronounced: EHD-mənd(English) EHT-muwnt(German) EHD-moont(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.

Famous bearers of the name include the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), the German-Czech philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) and New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first person to climb Mount Everest.

Edith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Pronounced: EE-dith(English) EH-dit(German, Swedish)
Personal remark: “Edie”
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.
Edgar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Portuguese, German
Pronounced: EHD-gər(English) EHD-GAR(French)
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 [1]. 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).
Eden
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
Other Scripts: עֵדֶן(Hebrew)
Pronounced: EE-dən(English)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight" [1], 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.
Dulcie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DUL-see
From Latin dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings Dowse and Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Duke
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DOOK
From the noble title duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader".
Doris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek [1], Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Δωρίς(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DAWR-is(English) DO-ris(German)
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).
Dorcas
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English (African)
Other Scripts: Δορκάς(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DAWR-kəs(English)
Derived from Greek δορκάς (dorkas) meaning "gazelle". This is the Greek translation of the name Tabitha in the New Testament (see Acts 9:36). At present it is most commonly used in English-speaking Africa.
Dolly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHL-ee
Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.
Dexter
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DEHK-stər
From an occupational surname meaning "one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word dexter meaning "right-handed, skilled".
Destiny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DEHS-ti-nee
Means simply "destiny, fate" from the English word, ultimately from Latin destinare "to determine", a derivative of stare "to stand". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the last half of the 20th century.
Della
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DEHL-ə
Diminutive of Adela or Adelaide. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Della Reese (1931-2017).
Darcy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHR-see
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from the town of Arcy in La Manche, France. This is the surname of a character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice (1813).
Darby
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHR-bee
From an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of Derby, itself from Old Norse djúr "animal" and býr "farm, settlement".
Daphne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Other Scripts: Δάφνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DA-PNEH(Classical Greek) DAF-nee(English) DAHF-nə(Dutch)
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Daisy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAY-zee
Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

This name was fairly popular at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. The American author F. Scott Fitzgerald used it for the character of Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (1925). The Walt Disney cartoon character Daisy Duck was created in 1940 as the girlfriend of Donald Duck. It was at a low in popularity in the United States in the 1970s when it got a small boost from a character on the television series The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979.

Cosmo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, English
Pronounced: KAWZ-mo(Italian) KAHZ-mo(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.
Comfort
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (African)
Pronounced: KUM-fərt
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Clover
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KLO-vər
From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.
Cleo
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KLEE-o
Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.
Clementine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KLEHM-ən-teen, KLEHM-ən-tien
English form of Clémentine.
Christian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: KRIS-chən(English) KRISH-chən(English) KREES-TYAHN(French) KRIS-tee-an(German) KRIS-ti-an(Swedish) KRIS-ti-ahn(Norwegian) KREHS-dyan(Danish)
From the medieval Latin name Christianus meaning "a Christian" (see Christos 1 for further etymology). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.

This was a top-ten name in France for most of the 1940s and 50s, while in Germany it was the most popular name for several years in the 1970s and 80s. In the United States it peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Famous bearers include Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish author of such fairy tales as The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes, and the French fashion designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).

Cherry
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHEHR-ee
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Charlton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHAHRL-tən, KAHRL-tən
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "settlement of free men" in Old English.
Charlie
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHAHR-lee
Diminutive or feminine form of Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Charity
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHEHR-ə-tee, CHAR-ə-tee
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Celeste
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English
Pronounced: cheh-LEH-steh(Italian) theh-LEHS-teh(European Spanish) seh-LEHS-teh(Latin American Spanish) sə-LEST(English)
Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.
Cedar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: SEE-dər
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.
Caspian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Literature
Pronounced: KAS-pee-ən(English)
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Carys
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: KA-ris
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Boaz
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: בֹּעַז(Hebrew)
Pronounced: BO-az(English) BO-ahz(Dutch)
Means "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with Jachin).
Blossom
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BLAH-səm
From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
Bithiah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: בִּתְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: bi-THIE-ə(English)
Means "daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew Moses from the Nile.
Birdie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BUR-dee
Diminutive of Bertha, Bernice and other names with a similar sound, or sometimes simply from the English word bird.
Billie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BIL-ee
Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.
Betty
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHT-ee
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Betsy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHT-see
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bethiah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Variant of Bithiah.
Bethia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical Latin, Scottish, English
Form of Bithiah used in some versions of the Old Testament, including the Douay-Rheims Bible. This name was popular in Scotland from the 17th century as an Anglicised form of Gaelic Beathag. It has occasionally been used as a Latinized form of Beth (a short form of Elizabeth).
Beth
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BETH
Short form of Elizabeth, or sometimes Bethany.
Bessie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHS-ee
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bernice
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: Βερνίκη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: bər-NEES(English)
Contracted form of Berenice. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II.
Benjamin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical
Other Scripts: בִּןְיָמִין(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: BEHN-jə-min(English) BEHN-ZHA-MEHN(French) BEHN-ya-meen(German) BEHN-ya-min(Dutch)
From the Hebrew name בִּןְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).

As an English name, Benjamin came into general use after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher.

Benesh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Yiddish (Rare)
Other Scripts: בענעש(Yiddish)
Yiddish form of Benedict.
Benaiah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: בְּנָיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: bə-NIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name בְּנָיָה (Benaya) meaning "Yahweh has built", derived from בָּנָה (bana) meaning "to build" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters.
Belle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHL
Short form of Isabella or names ending in belle. It is also associated with the French word belle meaning "beautiful". A famous bearer was Belle Starr (1848-1889), an outlaw of the American west, whose real given name was Maybelle.
Bella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHL-ə
Short form of Isabella and other names ending in bella. It is also associated with the Italian word bella meaning "beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.
Barnaby
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (British)
Pronounced: BAH-nə-bee(British English) BAHR-nə-bee(American English)
English form of Barnabas, originally a medieval vernacular form.
Banjo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Banjo. Occasionally used in homage to various persons using the byname, such as Australian poet Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson or American race car driver Edwin “Banjo” Matthews.
Azariah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: עֲזַרְיָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: az-ə-RIE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name עֲזַרְיָה (ʿAzarya) meaning "Yahweh has helped", derived from עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "help" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was Abednego.
Azaliah
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English (Puritan, Rare)
English form of Atsalyahu via its latinized form Aslia. This was the name of a character from the Old Testament, who appeared in 2 Kings 22:3 (also known as 4 Kings 22:3). He was a son of Meshullam and was himself the father of Shaphan the scribe.

Although this biblical bearer is male, the Puritans used it as a feminine name in the 1600s, probably due to its similarity to other feminine names in use at the time (see Azelia and Azalea).

Azalia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Rare), Spanish (Latin American), Indonesian
Pronounced: ə-ZAY-lee-ə(American English) a-SA-lya(Latin American Spanish)
Variant of Azalea. It could also be inspired by the biblical name Azaliah.

A known bearer of this name is Azalia Snail, an American avant-garde singer-songwriter and musician.

Azalea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-ZAY-lee-ə
From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Ayelet
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אַיֶלֶת(Hebrew)
Means "doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר (ʾayeleṯ hashaḥar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Ayala
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אַיָּלָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ie-ah-LAH
Means "doe, female deer" in Hebrew.
Aviya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֲבִיָה(Hebrew)
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֲבִיָה (see Avia).
Aviella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew (Rare)
Other Scripts: אביאלה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ah-vee-el-ah
Avia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֲבִיָה(Hebrew)
Modern Hebrew form of Abijah.
Avi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֲבִי(Hebrew)
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Avaya
Usage: Papuan
Avani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi
Other Scripts: अवनी(Marathi, Hindi) અવની(Gujarati)
From Sanskrit अवनी (avanī) meaning "earth".
Ava 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AY-və
Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.
Audrey
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: AWD-ree(English) O-DREH(French)
Medieval diminutive of Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Astrid
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Pronounced: AS-strid(Swedish) AHS-tri(Norwegian) AS-trit(German) AS-TREED(French) AS-trid(English)
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.
Ashton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ASH-tən
From an English surname, itself derived from a place name meaning "ash tree town" in Old English. This was a rare masculine name until the 1980s, when it gradually began becoming more common for both genders. Inspired by the female character Ashton Main from the 1985 miniseries North and South, parents in America gave it more frequently to girls than boys from 1986 to 1997 [1]. Since then it has been overwhelmingly masculine once again, perhaps due in part to the fame of the actor Ashton Kutcher (1978-).
Asher
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אָשֵׁר(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ASH-ər(English)
Means "happy, blessed" in Hebrew, derived from אָשַׁר (ʾashar) meaning "to be happy, to be blessed". Asher in the Old Testament is a son of Jacob by Leah's handmaid Zilpah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The meaning of his name is explained in Genesis 30:13.
Asha 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
From Swahili ishi meaning "live, exist", derived from Arabic عاش (ʿāsha).
Asali
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
Means "honey" in Swahili.
Asa
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אָסָא(Hebrew)
Pronounced: AY-sə(English)
Possibly means "healer" in Hebrew. This name was borne by the third king of Judah, as told in the Old Testament.
Arrow
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: AR-o, ER-o
From the English word arrow, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂érkʷo- "bow, arrow".
Arietta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Popular Culture (Rare)
Pronounced: ahr-ee-ET-ə, ar-ee-ET-ə
Either a diminutive of Aria 1, or from the major antagonist and God-General in Tales of the Abyss. Given after the musical term for a small song, from the Italian word "arietta."
Arielle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: A-RYEHL(French)
French feminine form of Ariel, as well as an English variant.
Ariel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: אֲרִיאֵל(Hebrew) Ἀριήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: a-ree-EHL(Hebrew) EHR-ee-əl(English) AR-ee-əl(English) A-RYEHL(French) a-RYEHL(Spanish) A-ryehl(Polish)
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).
Ariane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, German
Pronounced: A-RYAN(French)
French form of Ariadne.
Ariana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese, English (Modern)
Pronounced: ar-ee-AN-ə(English) ar-ee-AHN-ə(English)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).
Aria 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: AHR-ee-ə
Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.
Ari 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֲרִי(Hebrew)
Means "lion" in Hebrew.
Ardith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Variant of Ardath.
Arden
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AHR-dən
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".
Arabella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ar-ə-BEHL-ə
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.

Unrelated, this was an older name of the city of Irbid in Jordan, from Greek Ἄρβηλα (Arbela).

Anwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, blessed".
Annie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Dutch
Pronounced: AN-ee(English) A-NEE(French) AH-nee(Dutch)
Diminutive of Anne 1.
Amzi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אמצי(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: AHM-tsee(Biblical English) AM-zie(Biblical English)
Probably Hebrew, and may mean "my strength". 'In the Bible it occurs only once, in a genealogy... It appears regularly at Princeton in the period 1810-60, but not at Harvard. Apparently Amzi represents a development in the Middle Colonies, one which did not reach New England. The contrary is more usual.' A famous bearer was Amzi Chapin, a shape-note music composer and singing master from New England in the early 1800s.
Amy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AY-mee
English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
Amram
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew [1], Hebrew
Other Scripts: עַםְרָם(Hebrew)
Pronounced: AM-ram(English) ahm-RAHM(Hebrew)
Means "exalted nation" in Hebrew, from עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation" and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Amram is the father of Moses.
Amos
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1], Biblical Hebrew [2]
Other Scripts: עָמוֹס(Hebrew) Ἀμώς(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AY-məs(English)
From Hebrew עָמַס (ʿamas) meaning "load, burden" [3]. Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Amos, which speaks against greed, corruption and oppression of the poor. Written about the 8th century BC, it is among the oldest of the prophetic books. As an English name, Amos has been used since the Protestant Reformation, and was popular among the Puritans.
Amira 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Bosnian, Malay
Other Scripts: أميرة(Arabic)
Pronounced: a-MEE-ra(Arabic)
Feminine form of Amir 1.
Aminah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Other Scripts: آمنة, أمينة(Arabic)
Pronounced: A-mee-na(Arabic) a-MEE-na(Arabic)
Alternate transcription of Arabic Amina 1 or Amina 2, as well as the usual form in Malay and Indonesian.
Amber
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: AM-bər(English) AHM-bər(Dutch)
From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر (ʿanbar) meaning "ambergris". It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel Forever Amber (1944).
Amaziah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אֲמַץְיָהוּ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: am-ə-ZIE-ə(English)
Means "Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew, derived from אָמֵץ (ʾamets) meaning "to strengthen" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.
Amariah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: אֲמַרְיָהוּ(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: am-ə-RIE-ə(English)
Means "Yahweh has said" in Hebrew, derived from the roots אָמַר (ʾamar) meaning "to say" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Amari
Gender: Feminine
Usage: African American (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-MAHR-ee(English)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar. This name has risen in popularity in America at the same time as similar-sounding names such as Jamari and Kamari.
Amara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Igbo
Means "grace" in Igbo.
Amani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: أماني(Arabic)
Pronounced: a-MA-nee
Means "wishes" in Arabic, related to the root منا (manā) meaning "to tempt, to put to the test".
Amana
Usage: Biblical
Pronounced: ah-MAH-nah(Biblical English)
Amali
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
From Arabic أملي ('amali) "my hope".
Amala
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Tamil, Malayalam
Other Scripts: அமலா(Tamil) അമല(Malayalam)
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Alma 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
Pronounced: AL-mə(English) AL-ma(Spanish) AHL-ma(Dutch)
Personal remark: Maternal gma's fn
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".
Aliyah 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: עֲלִיָּה(Hebrew)
Alternate transcription of Hebrew עֲלִיָּה (see Aliya 2).
Alice
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
Pronounced: AL-is(English) A-LEES(French) u-LEE-si(European Portuguese) a-LEE-see(Brazilian Portuguese) a-LEE-cheh(Italian) a-LEES(German) A-li-tseh(Czech)
From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.

This name was borne by the heroine of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871).

Adah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: עָדָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: AY-də(English)
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Ada 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: AY-də(English) A-dha(Spanish) A-da(Polish) AH-dah(Finnish)
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.
Ace 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AYS
From the English word meaning "highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.
Acacia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ə-KAY-shə
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
Abraham
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: אַבְרָהָם(Hebrew)
Pronounced: AY-brə-ham(English) a-bra-AM(Spanish) A-BRA-AM(French) A-bra-hahm(Dutch) A-bra-ham(German) AH-bra-ham(Swedish)
Personal remark: “Bram”
From the Hebrew name אַבְרָהָם (ʾAvraham), which may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" or else as a contraction of Abram 1 and הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see Genesis 17:5). With his father Terah, he led his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son Ishmael.

As an English Christian name, Abraham became common after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was the American president Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who pushed to abolish slavery and led the country through the Civil War.

Abilene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various (Rare)
Other Scripts: Ἀβιληνή(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AB-i-leen(English) ab-i-LEE-nee(English)
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Abeni
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yoruba
Pronounced: A-BEH-NEEN
Means "we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: აბელ(Georgian) Աբել(Armenian) הֶבֶל(Ancient Hebrew) Ἄβελ, Ἅβελ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AY-bəl(English) A-BEHL(French) a-BEHL(Spanish, European Portuguese) a-BEW(Brazilian Portuguese) A-bəl(Dutch) ah-BEHL(Eastern Armenian) ah-PEHL(Western Armenian)
From the Hebrew name הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning "breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of Adam and Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.
Aaron
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: אַהֲרֹן(Hebrew) Ἀαρών(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EHR-ən(English) AR-ən(English) A-RAWN(French) A-rawn(German) AH-ron(Finnish)
From the Hebrew name אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as "high mountain" or "exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would form the priesthood.

As an English name, Aaron has been in use since the Protestant Reformation. This name was borne by the American politician Aaron Burr (1756-1836), notable for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

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