BlairBear's Personal Name List

Means "elite, prime, cream" in Arabic. This was the name of a 9th-century wife of Harun ar-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph featured in the stories of The 1001 Nights.

Possibly related to the Turkish title sultan meaning "king, sultan". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Hungary, also known as Zsolt.

Derived from South Slavic zlato meaning "gold", a derivative of Old Slavic zolto.

Bulgarian form of Živko, as well as an alternate transcription for Macedonian.

Diminutive of Kreszenz.

Means "wolf" in Hebrew, an animal particularly associated with the tribe of Benjamin (see Genesis 49:27).

Macedonian, Croatian and Serbian form of Jacqueline.

Bulgarian form of Zechariah.

Means "shining, brilliant, radiant" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Bulgarian form of Julia.

From Japanese 頼 (yori) meaning "rely" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Feminine form of Ximeno. This was the name of the wife of El Cid.

Basque form of Santiago.

Portuguese diminutive of Alexandre.

This name is best known for being the name of the Franco-Flemish abbess and saint Wivina of Groot-Bijgaarden (c. 1103-1170). She is known in modern French as Wivine de Grand-Bigard. After her lifetime, the usage of this name has mainly been in her honour.

The meaning of her name is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the name is at least partially of Germanic origin. According to French sources, the name is a compound name that consists of the Germanic elements witu meaning "forest" and wini meaning "friend". Meanwhile, Dutch sources derive the first element from Old Dutch wîf meaning "woman, wife", though in my opinion the obscure Germanic element found in Alavivus could also be a viable candidate. As for the second element: the Dutch sources neglect to explain it. However, in the case of the saint at least, it seems plausible that -ina is a latinization or variant of the Old French feminine diminutive suffix -ine. The saint's name would then be a diminutive of the original Germanic compound name.

Finally, a Spanish source claims that the name is a Germanic adaptation of the Latin name Viviana. This option seems to be the least likely of all, for it appears to be based on nothing but the visual resemblance between the two names.

Variant of Gwiomarc'h.

Medieval diminutive and feminine form of William.

Medieval diminutive of William.

Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element widu, Old High German witu, meaning "wood" (Proto-Germanic *widuz). This was the name of two 11th-century saints, one from Belgium and one from northern Italy, both commonly called Guido or Guy. From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name Vitus.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.

Old German name derived from the element war meaning "aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *waraz, and the related verbs *warjaną "to ward off" and *warnōną "to ward off").

Walloon form of Waldetrudis.

Diminutive of Vladimir.

Diminutive of Paraskevi.

Derived from the Slavic elements volstĭ "power, rule, sovereignty" (Czech vlast "homeland") and milŭ "gracious, dear".

Means "sour cherry" in Croatian and Serbian.

Derived from Romanian viorea (see Viorel).

Late Latin name (see Beatrix). This was the name of a 4th-century Italian saint.

Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.

Means "king over warriors" from Gaulish wer "on, over" combined with kingeto "marching men, warriors" and rix "king". This name was borne by a 1st-century BC chieftain of the Gaulish tribe the Arverni. He led the resistance against Julius Caesar's attempts to conquer Gaul, but he was eventually defeated, brought to Rome, and executed.

Means "little wolf" in Yiddish, a diminutive of װאָלףֿ (volf) meaning "wolf". This is a vernacular form of Zeev.

Means "meadow, plain" in Spanish. It is taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de la Vega, meaning "The Virgin of the Meadow". She is the patron saint of several Spanish municipalities, such as Salamanca.

Old French form of the Norman name Walchelin, derived from Old Frankish walh or Old High German walah meaning "foreigner, Celt, Roman" (Proto-Germanic *walhaz).

From Valbona (or Valbonë), the name of a mountain valley and river in northern Albania.

Meaning uncertain. It is used as a Russian form of the saintly name Bademus. Alternatively it may be derived from Slavic vaditi "to accuse, to argue" or from an Old Norse source. According to legend, this was the name of a legendary leader of the Ilmen Slavs who fought against the Varangians.

Diminutive of Ursula.

Serbian form of an old Hungarian name, possibly from úr meaning "man, lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of five Serbian kings.

Derived from the Old English elements uhta "pre-dawn" and ric "ruler, king" [1].

Hebrew form of Zephyr.

Variant of Teodor.

Derived from Bulgarian цвет (tsvet) meaning "flower, blossom".

Modern form of the Old Norse name Tófa, a short form of Þórfríðr.

Variant of Torhild.

Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).

Finnish, Hungarian and Welsh diminutive of Thomas.

From the Turkic and Mongol name Temür meaning "iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as Tamerlane (from Persian تیمور لنگ (Tīmūr e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.

Variant of Tiago.

Means "skilled, adept, clever" in Thai.

Amharic form of Theodore.

Greek diminutive of Anastasia.

Derived from the old Celtic root *toranos meaning "thunder", cognate with Þórr (see Thor). This was the name of the Gaulish thunder god, who was often identified with the Roman god Jupiter.

Means "rain" in Quechua.

Georgian form of Tahmasp.

Means "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King David. She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.

Means "furrowed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by both a giant and also the father of King David's wife Maacah.

Means "shining brow", derived from Welsh tal "brow, head" and iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. He is the central character in the Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king Maelgwn Gwynedd.

Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.

From the Old English name Swiðhun or Swiþhun, derived from swiþ "strong" and perhaps hun "bear cub". Saint Swithin was a 9th-century bishop of Winchester.

Medieval English form of Sveinn. Sweyn Forkbeard 17 April 963 – 3 February 1014) was king of Denmark from 986 to 1014. In 1013, shortly before his death, he became the first Danish king of England after a long effort.

Derived from the Old German elements swan "swan" and hilt "battle". Swanhild (or Swanachild) was the second wife of the Frankish ruler Charles Martel in the 8th century.

Variant of Surendra used by Sikhs.

Means "high, elevated, lofty" in Arabic, derived from سما (samā) meaning "to be high". This was the name of the first martyr for Islam.

Medieval Spanish form of Suarius, possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic (perhaps Suebian or Visigothic) name derived from *swēraz meaning "heavy, serious" [1].

Means "cross" in Greek, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.

Means "conception" in Basque. It was coined by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name Concepción.

French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.

Means "succour, help, relief" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Socorro meaning "Mary of Perpetual Succour".

French feminine form of Sixtus.

Phonetic variant of St John.

Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and lind "soft, flexible, tender". Sieglinde was the mother of Siegfried in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied.

Russian diminutive of Aleksandra or Aleksandr.

Feminine form of Shukri.

Biblical Hebrew form of Susanna.

From the name of a city in southern Iran.

Probably means "secret song" from Hebrew שיר (shir) "song, poem" combined with רז (raz) "secret, mystery".

Derived from Sanskrit शकुन्त (śakunta) meaning "bird". This is the name of a character in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, with the story adapted by Kalidasa for the 5th-century play Abhijnanashakuntalam. It tells how Shakuntala, who was raised in the forest by birds, meets and marries the king Dushyanta. After a curse is laid upon them Dushyanta loses his memory and they are separated, but eventually the curse is broken after the king sees the signet ring he gave her.

Norwegian dialectal variant and Faroese and Walloon form of Severin.

German and Scandinavian form of Severinus.

Italian form of the Roman cognomen Scaevola, which was derived from Latin scaevus "left-handed". The first bearer of this name was Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who acquired it, according to legend, after he thrust his right hand into a blazing fire in order to intimidate the Etruscan king Porsenna, who was blockading the city of Rome.

Scots diminutive of Alexander.

From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.

Diminutive of Sándor.

Diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.

Spanish form of Sandalius, possibly a Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements swinþs "strong" and wulfs "wolf". It also nearly coincides with Latin sandalium "sandal". This was the name of a 9th-century Spanish saint martyred by the Moors.

Means "companion in evening talk" in Arabic, from the root سمر (samara) meaning "to talk in the evening".

From 盛り (sakari), referring to a peak or height of something (e.g. the peak/height of summer) (compare Sakaru), also written as 昌, 壮, 隆 and such.

Means "sanctuary, tabernacle" in Spanish, derived from Latin sacrarium. It is taken from an epithet of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Sagrario, and is associated with Toledo Cathedral.

French and Dutch form of Sasha.

Form of Yeruslan used by Aleksandr Pushkin in his poem Ruslan and Ludmila (1820), which was loosely based on Russian and Tatar folktales of Yeruslan Lazarevich.

Alternate transcription of Arabic رقيّة (see Ruqayya).

Means "greatest beauty" from Sanskrit रूप (rūpa) meaning "beauty, form" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "greatest".

Means "ruddy, rosy" in Bulgarian and Macedonian.

From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye hill", from Old English ryge "rye" and dun "hill".

Meaning unknown, possibly from Iranian roots *rautas "river" and *taxma "strong". Rostam was a warrior hero in Persian legend. The 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recorded his tale in the Shahnameh.

Italian form of Roxana.

Old German form of Rosalind.

Feminine form of Roshan, used in Persian to refer to Roxana the wife of Alexander the Great.

Means "rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.

Breton form of Robert.

Means "famous battle" from the Germanic elements hruom "fame, glory" and hilt "battle".

Italian form of Romanus (see Roman).

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Romanian rod (a Slavic borrowing) meaning "fruit" or Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose".

Means "dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".

From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel.

Germanic name possibly derived from hruoh meaning "crow, rook". This was the name of a 14th-century French saint who nursed victims of the plague but eventually contracted the disease himself. He is the patron saint of the sick.

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.

Dutch, Danish and Limburgish short form of Maria and Marie.

Derived from the Old German element rih "ruler, king" combined with muot "mind, spirit".

Another variant of spelling Richenza, Rikissa or Rixa.
The memorable bearers of the include Richeza of Denmark (1180–1220), spouse of King Eric X and mother of King Eric XI and Richeza of Poland (1116– 1156), queen of Sweden and princess of Minsk, the daughter of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland and Salomea von Berg.

Probably a blend of the sounds of Rhoda and Linda, but maybe also influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales and/or the noted British feminist Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956) [1]. This name has only been used since the beginning of the 20th century, at first rarely. It started becoming popular in the mid-1940s at the same time as the American actress Rhonda Fleming (1923-2020), born Marilyn Louis. It peaked in the United States in 1965 and thereafter declined.

Means "friend of God" in Hebrew, from רֵעַ (reaʿ) meaning "friend" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is another name for Jethro. The fantasy author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a famous bearer.

Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Renatus.

French form of the Latin name Remigius, which was derived from Latin remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to the name Radovan. Alternatively it may have been brought to Romania by the Romani people (note that Romanian and Romani are unrelated), perhaps ultimately from Rizwan.

Means "basil" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad.

Variant of Ravindra used by Sikhs.

Meaning uncertain, possibly from Romanian rar meaning "sparse, rare". This name was borne by Petru Rareș, a 16th-century ruler of Moldavia, whose second name was adopted from a nickname of his mother's husband.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Ramirus, earlier Ranimirus, a Latinized form of a Visigothic name derived from the Gothic element rana "wedge" or perhaps ragin "law, decree, assessment, responsibility" combined with mers "famous". Saint Ramirus was a 6th-century prior of the Saint Claudius Monastery in León. He and several others were executed by the Arian Visigoths, who opposed orthodox Christianity. This name was subsequently borne by kings of León, Asturias and Aragon.

Derived from Sanskrit रमण (ramaṇa) meaning "pleasing, delightful". This is an epithet of the Hindu love god Kama or the solar charioteer Aruna.

Romanian diminutive of the Greek name Rallou, of uncertain meaning. It was popularized by the actress Rallou Karatza (1778-1870), a daughter of the prince of Wallachia Ioannis Karatzas, who was of Greek background.

Alternate transcription of Hindi राजेन्द्र (see Rajendra).

German form of Rayner.

Means either "friend" or "gentle, kind" in Arabic.

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).

Derived from the Slavic elements radŭ "happy, willing" and milŭ "gracious, dear".

Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element radŭ meaning "happy, willing". In Poland it is usually a diminutive of Radosław.

German form of Quirinus.

From the name of a Spanish sanctuary (in Catalonia) that is devoted to the Virgin Mary.

Means "one who divides goods among people" in Arabic, derived from قسم (qasama) meaning "to divide, to distribute". This was the name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad who died while young.

Walloon form of Cyprien.

Means "the palm of the hand" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the legendary Hindu figure Kunti.

Georgian form of Fereydoun. It appears in the 12th-century Georgian epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Pridon (fully Nuradin-Pridon) is a friend of Avtandil and Tariel.

Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.

Romanian and Slovak form of Petronilla.

Greek name meaning "Persian woman". This is the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.

Meaning uncertain. It possibly means "hard spears" from Welsh peri "spears" and dur "hard, steel" [1]. In early Welsh poetry and histories, the brothers Peredur and Gwrgi were chieftains in Cumbria who defeated Gwenddoleu at the Battle of Arfderydd. This name was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Latin form Peredurus for an early (fictitious) king of Britain. Entering into Arthurian romance, Peredur is an aspiring knight in the 14th-century Welsh tale Peredur son of Efrawg (an adaptation or parallel of Chrétien de Troyes' hero Percival).

Derived from Latin perditus meaning "lost". Shakespeare created this name for the daughter of Hermione and Leontes in his play The Winter's Tale (1610). Abandoned as an infant by her father the king, she grows up to be a shepherdess and falls in love with with Florizel.

Bulgarian diminutive of Petar.

Means "wormwood, absinthe" in Turkish, referring to the plant species Artemisia absinthium.

Variant of Per. The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen used this name for the main character in his play Peer Gynt (1867).

From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover" [1]. Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.

From Sanskrit परम (parama) meaning "highest, best" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra.

From the Germanic name Audamar, which was derived from Old Frankish aud or Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune" combined with mari meaning "famous". This was the name of an 8th-century Swiss saint, an abbot of Saint Gall.

Created by the Italian author Gabriele d'Annunzio for his novel La Figlia di Jorio (1904). It is derived from Tuscan Italian ornello meaning "flowering ash tree".

Caló form of Athanasios.

Means "oblivion, forgetting" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Olvido, Triunfo y Misericordias meaning "Our Lady of Oblivion, Triumph and Mercies". It commemorates an 1831 vision of Mary by the Spanish nun Sor Patrocinio.

Ukrainian form of Alexandra.

From a Catalan title of the Virgin Mary, Nostra Senyora de Núria, meaning "Our Lady of Nuria". Nuria is a sanctuary in Spain in which there is a shrine containing a famous statue of Mary.

Means "light" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition النور (al-Nūr) is one of the 99 names of Allah.

Derived from Greek νομικός (nomikos) meaning "relating to the law".

Feminine form of Nirmal.

From Sanskrit नीरज (nīraja) meaning "water-born, lotus".

Means "plowed field" in Hebrew.

Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nikephoros.

Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.

From the Greek name Νικάνωρ (Nikanor), which was derived from νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". This name was borne by several notable officers from ancient Macedon. It is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.

Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".

Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.

Created by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for a character in his 12th-century epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli derived it from the Persian phrase نیست اندر جهان (nīst andar jahān) meaning "unlike any other in the world" or "unique". In the poem Nestan-Darejan is a princess loved by Tariel.

Turkish form of Nasrin.

Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen and Armenian form of Nazarius.

Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nahum.

Means "helper" in Arabic, from the root نصر (naṣara) meaning "to help, to aid". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names: ناصر, in which the first vowel is long, and نصير, in which the second vowel is long.

Variant of Narendra used by Sikhs.

Walloon form of Fernand.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to Inanna. This was the name of a goddess worshipped by the Sumerians and Akkadians. She was later conflated with the goddesses Anahita and Aphrodite.

From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Means "hope" in Russian and Bulgarian.

Means "lily of the valley" in Turkish (species Convallaria majalis).

Walloon form of Maximilian.

Tajik and Uzbek form of Mirza.

Possibly derived from the Slavic word mir meaning "peace" or Romanian mira meaning "to wonder, to astound".

Romanian, Croatian and Albanian form of Mireille.

Romanian form of Menodora.

Means "fish catcher" in Sanskrit.

From 敏 (mǐn) meaning "quick, clever, sharp", 民 (mín) meaning "people, citizens", or other Chinese/Sino-Korean characters that are pronounced similarly.

Diminutive of Émile.

Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". This was the name of a 14th-century Serbian hero who apparently killed the Ottoman sultan Murad I at the Battle of Kosovo.

Derived from the Slavic elements milŭ "gracious, dear" and radŭ "happy, willing".

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by the wife of the 14th-century Serbian ruler Lazar.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear".

From the Old English name Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements milde "gentle" and þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.

Means "miracles" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, which means "Our Lady of Miracles".

Romanian form of Michael. Mihai the Brave was a prince of Wallachia who united Romania in the early 17th century.

From Egyptian mrt-sgr meaning "she who loves silence", derived from mrt "the beloved" (see mrj "to love") and sgr "silence, quiet". This was the name of a Theban cobra-goddess, guardian of the necropolis at Thebes and the Valley of Kings. She was said to watch over the workers there, punishing thieves and tomb desecrators with blindness and snake or scorpion bites, but healing those who repented.

Meretseger was also the name of the wife of the Pharaoh Senusret III, and the first to bear the title Great Royal Wife, which went on to be the standard title for the chief wives of pharaohs. She was also the first queen consort to have her name written in a cartouche. She may have been a later invention of the New Kingdom.

Means "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity" [1].

From Indonesian mega meaning "cloud" (of Sanskrit origin) and the feminine suffix -wati. A notable bearer is former Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri (1947-).

Diminutive of Mareye and thus a cognate of Marion 1.

From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Maurus.

Diminutive of Mattin.

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.

Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".

Walloon form of Maria.

Means "bitter" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is a name that Naomi calls herself after the death of her husband and sons (see Ruth 1:20).

Means "raspberry" in several Slavic languages.

Means "sad, grieved" in Pashto. This was the name of a Pashtun woman who encouraged the Afghan forces during the 1880 Battle of Maiwand against the British.

Variant of Mahendra used by Sikhs.

French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.

Derived from Arabic مَدَنِيّ (madaniyy) meaning "city dweller, civilian, citizen", chiefly found in Algerian and Moroccan Arabic.

Hebrew form of Mahalath.

Spanish form of the Latin name Macarius, derived from the Greek name Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek μάκαρ (makar) meaning "blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.

Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.

Form of Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain.

Meaning unknown, though possibly related to the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.

Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.

As a Russian name, this is an alternate transcription of Людмила (usually rendered Lyudmila).

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

Variant of Louwis.

From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.

Diminutive of Lorenzo.

Walloon form of Laurent.

Variant of Loren.

From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.

Italian and Spanish form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1). Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was a ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was also a great patron of the arts who employed Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and other famous artists.

Means "lion" in Caló. This name is used as the Caló form of León.

Romanian form of Livius.

Old German form of Linda.

Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Galician form of Linus.

Italian (particularly Sicilian) form of Liborius.

Derived from Greek λέοντος (leontos), the genitive case of λέων (leon) meaning "lion". This was the name of various early saints and martyrs. It was also borne by a 7th-century Byzantine emperor.

Means "lemon tree" in Greek.

Means "pearl lei" or "pearl child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and momi "pearl".

Italian form of Lazarus. In the past it was used as an Italian word meaning "leper".

Means "glances" in Arabic [1].

Feminine form of Kyriakos.

Variant of Kira 2, sometimes considered a feminine form of Cyrus.

Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Cosmas.

Old Persian form of Cyrus.

Short form of names beginning with the Old German element kunni meaning "clan, family". It can also be a short form of Konrad.

From Sanskrit कृत्तिका (krittika), the name for the constellation of the Pleiades.

Derived from the Old German elements grimo "mask" and hilt "battle". Kriemhild was a beautiful heroine in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied, where she is the sister of Gunther and the wife of Siegfried. After her husband is killed by Hagen with the consent of Gunther, Kriemhild tragically exacts her revenge. She is called Gudrun in Norse versions of the tale.

Short form of Koldobika.

Possibly a variant of Krishna.

Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Cyril.

Polish and Hungarian diminutive of Kunigunde.

Means "lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).

Means "premature child" in Arabic. This was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's first wife and the mother of all of his children, with the exception of one. She was a wealthy merchant and a widow when they married in the year 595. Muhammad received his first revelation 15 years after their marriage, and she was the first person to convert to Islam.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín meaning "beloved birth", derived from Old Irish Cóemgein, composed of cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" and gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin.

The name became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the middle of the 20th century, and elsewhere in Europe in the latter half of the 20th century. Famous bearers include the American actors Kevin Costner (1955-) and Kevin Bacon (1958-). It was also borne by the character Kevin McCallister in the 1990 comedy movie Home Alone.

From the Old Norse name Ketill meaning "kettle, cauldron" (later also acquiring the meaning "helmet"). In old Scandinavian rituals the ketill was used to catch the blood of sacrificed animals.

Form of Katherine in several languages.

From Japanese 霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with 澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Derived from the Lithuanian noun kaštonas meaning "(horse-)chestnut, conker".

Greek form of Carpus.

Tamil form of Krishna.

Means "stone" in Bulgarian. This is a translation of the Greek name Πέτρος (Petros).

Means "beautiful power", derived from the Greek elements κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".

Variant of Giovanni.

Variant of Jocelyn.

From the Greek name Ἱερώνυμος (Hieronymos) meaning "sacred name", derived from ἱερός (hieros) meaning "sacred" and ὄνυμα (onyma) meaning "name". Saint Jerome was responsible for the creation of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, in the 5th century. He is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. The name was used in his honour in the Middle Ages, especially in Italy and France, and has been used in England since the 12th century [1].

Variant of Jax.

Short form of Jackson. It appeared in the video game Mortal Kombat II in 1993. It first registered as a given name in the United States in 1995 (when it was used only five times) but steadily grew in popularity for two decades, probably inspired by similar names like Max and Dax and helped by a character of this name on the American television series Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014).

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.

Masculine form of Jarmila.

Medieval diminutive of Jan 3.

Means "important, exalted" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".

Means "blossoming, prospering" in Arabic, a derivative of زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine, to bloom".

From the name of a Basque village that contains an important shrine to the Virgin Mary, possibly meaning "old stone".

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

Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Isidore.

German and Russian form of Isidore.

Medieval French variant of Isabel. A famous bearer of this name was Isabeau of Bavaria (1385-1422), wife of the French king Charles VI.

Means "will, determination, decree" in Uzbek, derived from Arabic إرادة (ʾirāda).

Latinized form of the Greek name Εἰρηναῖος (Eirenaios), which meant "peaceful". Saint Irenaeus was an early bishop of Lyons for whom the Greek island of Santorini is named.

Means "fern field" in Basque.

Means "pearl" in Kazakh.

Caló form of Ignatius.

From the Mongolian title il-Khan meaning "subordinate Khan", which was first adopted by Genghis Khan's grandson Hulagu, who ruled a kingdom called the Ilkhanate that stretched from modern Iran to eastern Turkey.

Basque variant form of John.

Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.

Means "linen weaver" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Abihail in the Old Testament.

From Romanian horă, a type of circle dance. This was the nickname of Vasile Ursu Nicola (1731-1785), a leader of a peasant rebellion in Romania. He was eventually captured, tortured and executed.

From the Greek name Ἡσίοδος (Hesiodos), which probably meant "to throw song" from ἵημι (hiemi) meaning "to throw, to speak" and ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of an 8th-century BC Greek poet.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.

Scots form of Henry.

Persian form of Hashim.

Variant of Harun found in East Africa.

Romanian form of Charalampos.

Means "father-in-law is dew" in Hebrew, derived from חָם (ḥam) meaning "father-in-law" and טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew". In the Old Testament this is the name of a wife of King Josiah of Judah.

Diminutive of Hamo. This was the name of a son of Shakespeare who died in childhood. His death may have provided the inspiration for his father's play Hamlet.

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

From the Old Norse name Hallþórr, which meant "Thor's rock" from hallr "rock" combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).

Means "halo around the moon" in Arabic. This was the name of a sister-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.

Possibly derived from Greek γύλιος (gylios), the name for a long-shaped pouch or knapsack that Greek soldiers used for carrying their food supplies.

A notable bearer of this name was the Greek military official Gylon of Cerameis (5th century BC), who was the maternal grandfather of the Greek statesman and orator Demosthenes.

Catalan form of William.

Spanish form of Walter.

Spanish and Italian form of Grimwald.

Derived from South Slavic gora meaning "mountain". It was popularized by the Croatian poet Ivan Goran Kovačić (1913-1943), who got his middle name because of the mountain town where he was born.

From Persian گوهر (gōhar) meaning "jewel, gemstone". This name is typically feminine in Iran and Armenia, but masculine in Pakistan.

Possibly from Ambrogiotto, a diminutive of Ambrogio, or Angiolotto, a diminutive of Angiolo. This name was borne by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), an Italian painter and architect.

Portuguese and Spanish form of Giles.

From a Germanic name meaning "power of the spear", from the elements ger meaning "spear" and walt meaning "power, authority". The Normans brought it to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.

There were a few medieval French and German saints bearing this name. It was also borne by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint. In this case his name may represent an Old English cognate of the continental Germanic name.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Jasper, as well as the Latin form.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to the Basque word hartz meaning "bear". This was the name of several medieval kings of Navarre and Leon.

From the French name for a variety of flowering plant (genus Rubia; called madder in English), which is used to make red dye. This name was borne by the central character in the French film Les Enfants du Paradis (1945).

Walloon form of Pholien.

Modern Greek form of Photine.

French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).

Means "flame" in Italian.

Means "festivity, celebration" in Albanian.

Derived from the Late Latin name Ferrutius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron, sword". Saint Ferrutius was a 3rd-century martyr with his brother Ferreolus.

Variant of Felicia. It could be an elaborated form of the Spanish adjective feliz meaning "happy" or also a diminutive of Felizitas.

Portuguese diminutive of Felipe.

Romanian form of Felicianus (see Feliciano), as well as the usual English spelling of the saints' names.

Possibly from Februa, a Roman purification festival that was held during the month of February (and which gave the month its name). The festival was derived from Latin februum meaning "purging, purification". This name was borne by Saint Febronia of Nisibis, a 4th-century martyr.

Alternate transcription of Arabic فائزة (see Faiza).

Derived from Arabic فطم (faṭama) meaning "to abstain, to wean" [1]. Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the wife of Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.

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

Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.

From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Estíbaliz, meaning "Our Lady of Estíbaliz". Estíbaliz is a sanctuary in Álava, Spain. It may be derived from Latin aestivalis "pertaining to the summer", a derivative of aestas "summer". Folk etymology connects it to Basque ezti "honey" and balitz "as if it were".

Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".

Persian form of Alexander.

Walloon form of Renelde.

Derived from Hermetis, the Latin genitive form of Hermes, the name of the Greek messenger god.

Italian form of Hermenegildo.

Diminutive of Enrica.

Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.

Italian form of Helvius.

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

French form of Eligius.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλευθέριος (Eleutherios), which meant "free". This was the name of a 2nd-century pope, as well as several saints.

Spanish form of Ephraim (referring to Saint Ephrem the Syrian).

From the Latin byname Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.

Means "snow" in Basque, from edur, a variant of elur "snow". It is an equivalent of Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.

Croatian and Serbian form of George.

Means "pearl" in Uzbek (a word of Arabic origin).

Italian form of the Late Latin name Durans, which meant "enduring".

Derived from the Slavic element dorgŭ (South Slavic drag) meaning "precious" combined with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".

From the Late Latin name Donatus meaning "given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.

Walloon form of Adolphine.

Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and milŭ "gracious, dear".

Walloon form of George.

From Serbian диван (divan) or Macedonian дивен (diven) meaning "wonderful".

Walloon form of Denis.

German form of Theudemer.

Means "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.

Modern Greek form of Despoina.

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

Derived from Latin desideratum meaning "desired". This was the name of a 6th-century French saint.

Feminine form of Desideratus.

Means "bundle, bunch (of flowers), bouquet" in Turkish.

Variant of Davor.

Meaning uncertain, possibly from an old Slavic exclamation expressing joy or sorrow. This was the name of a supposed Slavic war god. His name was the basis for the word davorije, a type of patriotic war song popular in the 19th century [1].

Means "sea, ocean" in Persian.

Diminutive of Danail.

Possibly derived from the Slavic elements danŭ "given" and mirŭ "peace, world". Otherwise, it might be of Turkic or Russian origin (see Damir 2). It was popularized by a character from Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel Gordana (1935).

Meaning uncertain. It might be from a variant of Turkic temür meaning "iron" or from Arabic ضمير (ḍamīr) meaning "mind, heart, conscience". It could also be an acronym of the Russian phrase даёшь мировую революцию "bring on the world revolution".

Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.

Derived from the Slavic elements dalĭ "distance" and milŭ "gracious, dear".

Latinized form of Greek Κυρήνη (Kyrene), the name of a Hellenic city in ancient Libya, itself probably named for a nearby spring Κύρη (Kyre). It has been associated with κῦρος (kyros) meaning "power, authority". In Greek mythology this is the name of a Thessalian princess loved by Apollo. He took her to Libya, where he founded the city in her honour and installed her as queen.

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and ric "ruler, king".

Means "royal fortress" from Old English cyne "royal" and burg "fortress". Saint Cyneburga, a daughter of a king of Mercia, was the founder of an abbey at Castor in the 7th century.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town with a small enclosed field" in Old English.

Diminutive of Crocifissa.

From the Roman cognomen Crispinus, which was derived from the name Crispus. Saint Crispin was a 3rd-century Roman who was martyred with his twin brother Crispinian in Gaul. They are the patrons of shoemakers. They were popular saints in England during the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since that time.

Derived from Romanian crin meaning "lily".

Romanian form of Cosmas.

French form of Quirinus.

French form of the Breton name Kaourintin, possibly from korventenn meaning "hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *karid meaning "love" (modern Breton karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.

From an English surname meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.

Italian feminine diminutive of Columba. In traditional Italian pantomimes this is the name of a stock character, the female counterpart of Arlecchino (also called Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.

Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.

Medieval diminutive of Col, a short form of Nicholas. It is now regarded as an independent name.

French feminine form of Clement. This is also the name of a variety of orange (fruit).

Italian form of Cloelia.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.

As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form Clare, though the Latinate spelling Clara overtook it in the 19th century and became very popular. It declined through most of the 20th century (being eclipsed by the French form Claire in English-speaking countries), though it has since recovered somewhat.

Diminutive of Lucyin.

Valencian diminutive of Joaquim.

Latinized form of Hariwald. This was the name of 1st-century Batavian chief mentioned by Tacitus.

French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).