Cosmicdaze's Personal Name List

Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.

Meaning unknown. It could be a variant of Xenia or a diminutive of names featuring this sound, such as Alexina, Rosina or Zenobia. This name has occasionally been used since the 19th century.

Short form of Griselda. This is the name of a princess in the Legend of Zelda video games, debuting in 1986 and called ゼルダ (Zeruda) in Japanese. According to creator Shigeru Miyamoto she was named after the American socialite Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948).

Variant of Xavier.

Modern feminine form of Xavier.

Possibly based on Zahra 2 or the Nigerian city of Zaria.

Used by William Congreve for a character in his tragedy The Mourning Bride (1697), where it belongs to a captive North African queen. Congreve may have based it on the Arabic name Zahra 1. In 1736 the English writer Aaron Hill used it to translate Zaïre for his popular adaptation of Voltaire's French play Zaïre (1732).

In England the name was popularized when Princess Anne gave it to her daughter in 1981. Use of the name may also be influenced by the trendy Spanish clothing retailer Zara.

Means "pure" in Arabic.

Armenian form of Isabel. A 13th-century ruling queen of Cilician Armenia bore this name.

Form of Owain used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion.

From Japanese 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
This is the real name of Princess Mikasa, the wife of Prince Takahito of Mikasa, the uncle of Japanese emperor Akihito.

From Japanese 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.

From Japanese 弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow" or 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow". It can also come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause", 友 (yu) meaning "friend" or a nanori reading of 弓 (yu) meaning "archery bow" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.

From Japanese 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" combined with 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or 男 (o) meaning "male, man". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

From Japanese 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow". It can also come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" or 紀 (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.

Means "bright star" in Inuit.

From Japanese 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" combined with 衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". It can also come from stand-alone 結 (yui) using a different nanori reading. This name can be formed of other kanji or kanji combinations as well.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 義郎 (see Yoshirō).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 義郎 (see Yoshirō).

From Japanese 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", 芳 (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or 悦 (yoshi) meaning "joy, pleased" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other kanji combinations as well.

From Japanese 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck", 義 (yoshi) meaning "righteous", or 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", as well as other kanji with the same reading.

Means "hospitality" in Greek, a derivative of ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". This was the name of a 5th-century saint who is venerated in the Eastern Church.

Probably a variant of Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.

Modern feminine form of Xavier.

Derived from the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" combined with hram meaning "raven". Saint Wolfram (or Wulfram) was a 7th-century archbishop of Sens. This name was also borne by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, the author of Parzival.

Derived from the Old German elements wolf meaning "wolf" and gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

Derived from the Slavic elements vojĭ "warrior, soldier" and utěxa "solace, comfort, joy". Saint Wojciech (also known by the Czech form of his name Vojtěch or his adopted name Adalbert) was a Bohemian missionary to Hungary, Poland and Prussia, where he was martyred in the 10th century.

Polish form of Violet.

From the English word for the season, derived from Old English winter.

From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.

German feminine form of Wilhelm.

Dutch and German feminine form of Wilhelm. This name was borne by a queen of the Netherlands (1880-1962).

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.

In the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.

Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).

From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".

From Japanese 和 (wa) meaning "harmony, peace" and 奏 (kana) meaning "play music, complete", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.

French form of Violet.

Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.

Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.

From the English word meaning "verity, truth", from Latin verus "true, real". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Means "rabbit" in Japanese. This name was used on the Japanese television show Sailor Moon, which first aired in the 1990s.

Means "little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.

From the English word unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin unitas.

From Japanese 翼 (tsubasa) meaning "wing", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Transferred use of the surname Truett.

Diminutive of Gertrude.

From Japanese 智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other kanji characters as well.

Diminutive of Letitia. This is now a slang word for the female breast, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.

Feminine form of Theophanes.

Diminutive of Theresa.

Short form of Theresa. This is the name of the main character in Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891).

Means "darling" in Welsh, derived from a diminutive of Welsh teg "beautiful, pretty". It was somewhat common in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada in the 1980s and 90s. It was borne by an Australian character on the television series Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984.

Derived from Russian свет (svet) meaning "light, world". It was popularized by the poem Svetlana (1813) by the poet Vasily Zhukovsky. It is sometimes used as a translation of Photine.

This name is used as 朱雀, referring to the Vermilion Bird, one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations, that is said to rule over the southern heavens. It is made up of 朱 (shu, ake, su) meaning "vermillion, cinnabar" and 雀 (jaku, jan, saku, shaku, suzume) meaning "sparrow."

Fictional bearers of this name include Suzaku Kururugi (枢木 スザク) from the anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and Suzaku (朱雀), one of the Four Beasts from the manga and anime series Yū Yū Hakusho.

This name is rarely used.

From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.

Feminine form of Stephen.

Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.

Diminutive of Stephanie.

Variant of Stephanie.

Elaborated form of Star.

From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.

From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".

French form of Sophia.

Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.

This name was common among continental European royalty during the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in Britain by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. It was the name of characters in the novels Tom Jones (1749) by Henry Fielding and The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith.

In the United States this name was only moderately common until the 1990s when it began rising in popularity, eventually becoming the most popular for girls from 2011 to 2013. A famous bearer is the Italian actress Sophia Loren (1934-).

Variant of Summer, coinciding with the German word for summer.

Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Sophia.

Form of Sophia used in various languages.

Nicaragua-spanish

Air Headed

Variant of Zisel.

Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.

Dutch and Frisian form of Simon 1.

From Japanese 忍 (shinobu) meaning "endurance, patience", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.

Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (āzād) meaning "free, noble" [1]. Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.

Feminine form of Severinus.

Feminine form of Severus. This name was borne by Aquilia Severa, the second and fourth wife of the Roman emperor Elagabalus (3rd century AD).

From Sino-Korean 昇 (seung) meaning "rise, ascend", 勝 (seung) meaning "victory" or 承 (seung) meaning "inherit", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804) [1].

Anglicized form of Shahrazad.

Variant of Scarlett.

From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.

Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).

From Japanese 小 (sa) meaning "small" and 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 小 (sa) meaning "small" or 咲 (sa) meaning "bloom" combined with 世 (yo) meaning "world" or 代 (yo) meaning "generation". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.

Means "my princess" in Hebrew, a possessive form of שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament, this was Sarah's name before God changed it (see Genesis 17:15).

Form of Sarah used in various languages.

Derived from South Slavic sanjati meaning "to dream".

Means "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show InuYasha.

As a unisex name, it can be used as 咲也, 咲哉, 咲弥, 朔夜 or 朔椰 with 咲 (shou, sa.ku, -zaki) meaning "bloom, blossom", 朔 (saku, tsuitachi) meaning "conjuction (astronomy), first day of the month", 也 (e, ya, ka, nari, mata) meaning "to be (archaic form)", 哉 (sai, kana, ya) meaning "alas, how, question mark, what", 弥 (bi, mi, amaneshi, iya, iyoiyo, tooi, hisashi, hisa.shii, ya, wata.ru) meaning "all the more, increasingly", 夜 (ya, yo, yoru) meaning "evening, night" and 椰 (ya, yashi) meaning "coconut tree."
As a feminine name, it can be used as 咲耶 or 沙久椰 with 耶 (ja, ya, ka) meaning "question mark", 沙 (sa, sha, suna, yonageru) meaning "sand" and 久 (kyuu, ku, hisa.shii) meaning "long time, old story."
As a masculine name, it can be used as 作哉, 朔也, 朔哉, 朔弥, 朔矢 or 佐玖哉 with 作 (sa, saku, tsuku.ri, tsuku.ru, -dzuku.ri) meaning "build, make, prepare, production", 矢 (shi, ya) meaning "arrow, dart" and 玖 (kyuu, ku) meaning "beautiful black jewel, nine (used in legal documents)."

One bearer from Japanese mythology is Konohananosakuya-hime (このはなのさくやひめ), simply known as Sakuya-hime (さくやひめ), who is a blossom-princess and symbol of delicate earthly life. "Sakuya" in Sakuya-hime is popularly written as 咲耶 but it can also be written as 佐久夜 (with 佐 - sa - meaning "assistant, help"), as used in the Kojiki, or 開耶 (with 開 - kai, a.ku, a.keru, hira.ki, hira.ku, hira.keru, -bira.ki - meaning "open, unfold, unseal"), as used in the Nihon Shoki.

From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom", though it is often written using the hiragana writing system. It can also come from 咲 (saku) meaning "blossom" and 良 (ra) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" as well as other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 咲 (sa) meaning "blossom" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", besides other combinations of kanji characters.

From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

Diminutive of Sarah.

From Japanese 貞 (sada) "chastity; virtue, faithfulness, uprighteousness" or "chaste; virtuous, faithful, uprighteous", 節 (sada) "season", 定 (sada) "determined", or 禎 (sada) "lucky, auspicious" or "blessed, good fortune" combined with Japanese 子(ko) "child".
貞子 "chaste child" or "child of chastity" was by far the most common combination.

A famous bearer of the name was Sadako Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木 禎子 Sasaki Sadako) (1943-1955), a child who died from leukemia after the Hiroshima bomb. Her endeavour to fold 1,000 paper cranes in order to have her wish granted has become a symbol of peace.

The name was also borne by Sadako Yamamura (Japanese: 山村 貞子 Yamamura Sadako), the fictional antagonist of the Japanese horror franchise "Ringu" (also known and adapted as "The Ring" in Western countries), which began as a book first published in 1991. Although malevolent and considered very frightening, the character also has a tragic and sympathetic backstory, a combination that has made her very popular within the horror community. This may have influenced the popularity of her name's kanji combination, at least during the 1990s and afterward. (Prior to the franchise, the literal meaning of this combination was probably its chief attraction, especially to conservative parents.)
(See also Kayako, the name borne by the main fictional antagonist of the Japanese horror franchise "Ju-On", also known and adapted as "The Grudge" in the West. Indeed, these two characters - Sadako and Kayako - eventually became so popular that they starred in a crossover film together: 2016's "Sadako vs. Kayako".)

The name, regardless of kanji, is written as さだこ (Sadako) in hiragana and as サダコ (Sadako) in katakana.

From Japanese 幸 (sachi) meaning "happiness, good luck" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Short form of Isabella.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 竜之介 or 龍之介 or 隆之介 (see Ryūnosuke).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 竜 or 龍 (see Ryū).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 良一 or 亮一 (see Ryōichi).

This was the name of Echizen Ryoma's older adopted brother in the Prince of Tennis anime
-------------------------------------
Means "Good Fang"

From Japanese 留 (ru) meaning "detain, fasten", 流 (ru) meaning "current, flow", or 瑠 (ru) meaning "lapis lazuli" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From 琉 (ru) "gem" and 花 (ka) "flower."

Diminutive of Rudolf.

From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf". It was borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Anthony Hope used this name for the hero in his popular novel The Prisoner of Zenda (1894).

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).

French diminutive of Rose.

Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.

Diminutive of Rose. This is the name of a type of flowering shrub (species Hibiscus sabdariffa) native to Africa but now grown in many places, used to make hibiscus tea.

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.

French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.

Italian form of Romanus (see Roman).

From the Old German name Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate Hrólfr), a contracted form of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.

Dutch form of Rudolf.

Short form of names ending in -rinda (Florinda, Lorinda, etc.).

Rindr (Old Norse) or Rinda (Latin) (sometimes Anglicized Rind) is a female character in Norse mythology, alternatively described as a giantess, a goddess or a human princess from the east (somewhere in present-day Russia).

From Japanese 凛 (rin) meaning "dignified, severe, cold" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Invented by the American author Stephenie Meyer for a character in her novel Breaking Dawn (2008), the fourth book of her Twilight series. The character is the baby daughter of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, with her name combining the names of her grandmothers: Renée and Esme.

From Japanese 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade" or 礼 (rei) meaning "ceremony" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

From Japanese 鈴 (rei) meaning "bell", 麗 (rei) meaning "beautiful, lovely" or 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade". This name can also be formed by other kanji with the same pronunciation.

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.

Meaning unknown, from Old English puca. It could ultimately be of either Germanic or Celtic origin. In English legend this was the name of a mischievous spirit, also known as Robin Goodfellow. He appears in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595). It is used in the Netherlands as mainly a feminine name.

Means "beloved" in Sanskrit. It appears briefly in the Puranas belonging to a daughter of King Daksha.

In the popular animated movie by Hayao Miyazakio, Ponyo is a goldfish who becomes human, daughter of prestigious ruler Fujimoto and the goddess of mercy, known as Gran Mamare.

From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998 [1].

Feminine form of Pius.

From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.

From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".

Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.

Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.

It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century. It was moderately popular in the 1940s, but had a more notable upswing in the early 2000s. This may have been inspired by the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz (1974-), who gained prominence in English-language movies at that time. It was already rapidly rising when celebrities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their baby daughter in 2012.

From the English word patience, ultimately from Latin patientia, a derivative of pati "to suffer". This was one of the virtue names coined by the Puritans in the 17th century. It is now most commonly used in African countries where English is widely understood, such as Nigeria and Ghana.

First recorded as a given name in the 16th century, the name Passion was originally used by Christian parents in reference to the "Passion of Christ", a term denoting the suffering of Jesus. The word itself is derived from Latin passio "suffering", ultimately from Latin patior "to suffer; to endure" and was originally used to describe any suffering or pain concerning the body. Its meaning of sexual desire dates to the 17th century. The name had gone extinct and was revived in the 20th century, no doubt for its current English meaning.

Meaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the Iliad, he did manage to slay the great hero Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.

From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".

From an Old Welsh name (Ougein, Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *owi- "sheep", *wesu- "good" or *awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into Yvain for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.

Other notable bearers include Owain the Great, a 12th-century king of Gwynedd, and Owain Glyndwr, a 14th-century leader of the Welsh resistance to English rule.

Means "pine tree" in Hebrew.

From Nozomu 望 (nozomu), meaning "hope, wish, desire". It can also be read as Nozomi.

Means Hope in Japanese
-------------------------------------
From Japanese 希 (nozo) "hope" and 実 (mi) "fruit" or 美 (mi) "beautiful". Another kanji for Nozomi is 望 (nozomi) "wish, desire, hope" (which can be read as Nozomu). Another kanji combination is 希 (nozo) "hope" and 海 (mi) "sea".

Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.

Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay).

Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2). A famous bearer was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).

Swiss German form of Nicholas.

Irish form of Neil.

From Japanese 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 摘 (tsumi) meaning "pick, pluck". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon". Alternatively, it can come from 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Means "summer" in Japanese.

Russian form of Natalia (see Natalie).

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

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

History Unknown.
If you write it in Japanese characters, it means seven stars.

Feminine form of Morgan 1.

From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).

From Japanese 百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or 桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be constructed from other kanji combinations as well.

From Japanese 百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or 桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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.

From Japanese 瑞 (mizu) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", besides other kanji combinations.

Water
-------------------------------------
Japaneese for 'water'
-------------------------------------
Means 'Water' in Japanese

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or 夕 (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 代 (yo) meaning "generation" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 夜 (ya) meaning "night" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

From Japanese 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon". It can also come from 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", as well as several other kanji combinations.

Russian diminutive of Mikhail.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 咲 (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

From the Japanese kanji 美 (mi) meaning "beauty, beautiful", 海 (mi) meaning "sea" or 三 (mi) meaning "three" combined with 沙 (sa) meaning "fine sand" or 幸 (sa) meaning "happiness".

Other Kanji combinations available.

Form of Miriam in several languages.

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.

Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.

Short form of Wilhelmina and other names ending in mina. This was the name of a character in the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker.

In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of Miles.

Mikuru has multiple kanji possibilities, but for the notable character Mikuru Asahina (in popular light novel, manga, and anime 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya') her name means "yet to come". There's also a gravure idol called Mikuru Natsuki.

A Japanese battleship built in 1902, named after Mount Wakakusa, aka Mount Mikasa in Nara (literally: “three bamboo hats”). Mikasa Ackerman is a character in Attack on Titan.

From Hoshi prefixed with a mi kanji, like 美 meaning "beauty," 海 meaning "sea, ocean," 三 meaning "three," 実 meaning "seed; fruit," 弥 meaning "increase," 満 meaning "full, whole" or 仁 meaning "benevolence, compassion, humanity."

Slovene and Croatian form of Michael.

From Japanese 緑 (midori) meaning "green", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same pronunciation.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be comprised of other combinations of kanji.

Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".

This name was common in Sweden and Denmark in the 1970s [1]. It rose in popularity in the English-speaking world in the 1990s, entering the top ten for girls in the United States in 2009. It was also popular in many other countries at that time. Famous bearers include American actress Mia Farrow (1945-) and American soccer player Mia Hamm (1972-), birth names Maria and Mariel respectively.

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.

From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.

The name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and was introduced from there to England, though it eventually became rare. Interest in it was revived by the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939).

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).

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 満 (ma) meaning "full" combined with 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 夕 (yu) meaning "evening". This name can also be constructed from other kanji combinations.

Variant of Maia 1. This name can also be given in reference to the Maya, an indigenous people of southern Mexico and parts of Central America whose civilization flourished between the 3rd and 8th centuries. A famous bearer was the American poet and author Maya Angelou (1928-2014).

Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.

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.

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.

From Japanese 勝 (masaru) meaning "victory" or 優 (masaru) meaning "excellence". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Variant of Marjolein.

Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".

Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.

Dutch diminutive of Maria.

French short form of Margaret.

Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.

As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it declined in the latter half of the 20th century.

Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of Gone with the Wind, and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-). Others include American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

French diminutive of Marie.

Feminine form of Malcolm.

Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.

Form of Maia 1 in various languages.

Diminutive of Maria.

From Japanese 舞 (mai) meaning "dance" or 麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Icelandic diminutive of María.

Variant of May. A famous bearer was the American actress Mae West (1893-1980), whose birth name was Mary.

From a title of the Virgin Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.

Dutch diminutive of Maria.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

Means "brilliance" in Tagalog.

From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.

English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Lucretius, possibly from Latin lucrum meaning "profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.

Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

French and Czech form of Lucia.

Welsh form of Laura.

From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).

Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.

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).

Short form of Louise or Louis. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).

Diminutive of Lola. This is the name of a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.

Diminutive of Karol 1.

Probably a Welsh form of Lugus. In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi [1], Lleu Llaw Gyffes is the son of Arianrhod. He was raised by his uncle Gwydion, who helped him overcome the curses that his mother placed upon him. His wife Blodeuwedd and her lover Gronw conspired to overcome his near invincibility and murder him, but they were not successful. Eventually he became the king of Gwynedd.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Variant of Lily, or a diminutive of Lillian or Elizabeth.

Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.

Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Spanish and Italian form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).

German, French and Hungarian diminutive of Elisabeth and other names containing li. It is also sometimes connected to the German word lilie meaning "lily".

Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.

German diminutive of Elisabeth.

German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.

German diminutive of Elisabeth.

German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.

Originally a medieval diminutive of Ibb, itself a diminutive of Isabel. It is also used as a diminutive of Elizabeth.

Variant of Libby.

Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.

Italian, Portuguese, Georgian and Greek form of Leah.

Variant of Levi.

Diminutive of Lettice.

From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.

From the French nickname le roi meaning "the king". It has been common as an English given name since the 19th century. Since 1920 in the United States it has been mainly used by African Americans [1].

German and Dutch feminine form of Leonius.

Feminine form of Leonius.

German form of Leonard. A famous bearer was the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), who made many important contributions to calculus, number theory, geometry and theoretical physics.

Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.

Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently.

From a surname that was a variant of Lee.

Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna [1].

From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Leʾa), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לָאָה (laʾa) meaning "weary, grieved" [1]. Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.

Although this name was used by Jews in the Middle Ages, it was not typical as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans.

Form of Leah used in several languages.

Means "lion" in Arabic.

Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.

As an English name, Laura has been used since the 13th century. Famous bearers include Laura Secord (1775-1868), a Canadian heroine during the War of 1812, and Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957), an American author who wrote the Little House on the Prairie series of novels.

Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.

Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.

From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.

Variant of Curtis.

German contracted form of Conrad. A famous bearer was the American musician Kurt Cobain (1967-1994).

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.

German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.

German short form of Nicholas, now used independently.

Form of Clara in various languages.

Dutch and Low German short form of Nicholas.

From Japanese 清 (kiyoshi) or 淳 (kiyoshi) both meaning "pure". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

From Japanese 清 (kiyo) meaning "clear, pure, clean" or 聖 (kiyo) meaning "holy" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

From the Japanese kanji 桔梗 (kikyō) referred to the flower known as Platycodon grandiflorus. Traditionally, it is one of the Seven Autumn Flowers.

Other kanji combinations are possible.

Hawaiian form of John.

Feminine form of Ken 1 or Kendrick.

From Japanese 慶 (kei) meaning "celebration", 敬 (kei) meaning "respect", 啓 (kei) meaning "open, begin" or 恵 (kei) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Frisian pet form of Cornelius, Gerard and Nicolaas. In other words, you could say that this name is a variant form of Kai 1.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

Combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and la. Use of the name greatly increased after 1982 when the character Kayla Brady began appearing on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives [1].

Form of Katherine in several languages.

Feminine form of Karl, Karel or Karlo.

German and Scandinavian form of Charles. This was the name of seven rulers of the Franks and the Holy Roman Empire. It was also borne by a beatified emperor of Austria (1887-1922), as well as ten kings of Sweden. Other famous bearers include the German philosophers Karl Marx (1818-1883), one of the developers of communism, and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969), an existentialist and psychiatrist.

From Japanese 香 (kaori) meaning "fragrance". It can also come from an alternate reading of 香 (ka) combined with 織 (ori) meaning "weaving". Other kanji combinations are possible. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Scandinavian diminutive of Katarina.

German form of the Roman title Caesar (see Caesar). It is not used as a given name in Germany itself.

Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katherine.

Means "willow" or "hazel" in Navajo.

From Japanese kanji 籠目 (kagome) that indicates the shape of the holes in a traditional basket (hexagon), the woven material and the basket itself which was often used as a birdcage. Kagome can derive also from 香籠 (kagome) an obsolete combination meaning "fragrance; incense".

Other kanji combinations are possible.

Kagome Kagome (かごめかごめ, or 籠目籠目) is a Japanese children's game and the song associated with it.

Kagome Higurashi is the main character in the famous franchise 'Inuyasha'. Her name was referred to the caged bird in the traditional song.

From Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "young", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.

Although this name was borne by several early saints, including a pope, it was rare during the Middle Ages. It was revived in Italy and France during the Renaissance, and was subsequently imported to England.

Hungarian and Slovene diminutive of Julia. Swiss author Max Frisch used this name on one of his characters in his novel 'I'm not Stiller', published in 1954.

French diminutive of Julie.

Polish and Hungarian form and English elaboration of Juliet.

Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.

French, Danish, Norwegian and Czech form of Julia. It has spread to many other regions as well. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the early 20th century.

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julia and Anna.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).

It has been common as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the 18th century. A famous modern bearer is American actress Julia Roberts (1967-).

From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.

Diminutive of Josephine, Joseph, Joanna and other names beginning with Jo. It was popularized by the young hero (a boy) in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' novel The Yearling (1938) and the subsequent film adaptation (1946). As a feminine name, it probably received an assist from the similar-sounding name Judy, which was at the height of its American popularity when Jody was rising.

Diminutive of James. This was the usual name of American actor James Stewart (1908-1997). It is also used by the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).

Short form of Henriëtte or Mariëtte.

Variant of Jesse.

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.

Danish diminutive of Jan 1.

Elaborated form of Janet.

English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.

This name has been used in England since the 13th century, though it became more common in Scotland where it was borne by several kings. In the 17th century the Scottish king James VI inherited the English throne, becoming the first ruler of all Britain, and the name grew much more popular. In American name statistics (recorded since 1880) this name has never been out of the top 20, making it arguably the era's most consistently popular name. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States from 1940 to 1952.

Famous bearers include the English explorer James Cook (1728-1779), the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819), and the Irish novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941). This name has also been borne by six American presidents. A notable fictional bearer is the British spy James Bond, created by author Ian Fleming in 1953.

sixteen-day-old moon

Germanic name, a hypothetical early form of Iseult.

The name of the daughter of King Cymbeline in the play Cymbeline (1609) by William Shakespeare. He based her on a legendary character named Innogen, but it was printed incorrectly and never emended. Innogen is probably derived from Gaelic inghean meaning "maiden". As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.

From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.

Variant of Holly.

From Japanese 瞳 (hitomi) meaning "pupil of the eye". It can also come from 史 (hito) meaning "history" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations. This name is often written with the hiragana writing system.

From Japanese 大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" or 博 (hiro) meaning "command, esteem" combined with 人 (to) meaning "person", 翔 (to) meaning "soar, glide" or 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation. Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

From Japanese 寛 (hiroshi) meaning "tolerant, generous", 浩 (hiroshi) meaning "prosperous", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.

From Japanese 寛 (hiro) meaning "tolerant, generous", 裕 (hiro) meaning "abundant" or 浩 (hiro) meaning "prosperous" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 拓 (hiraku) meaning "expand, open, support". Other kanji can also form this name.

Means "sunset" in Japanese.

From Japanese 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

French form of Hildegard.

Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.

German, Dutch and Norwegian variant of Hilda.

Originally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element hildi, Old High German hilt, Old English hild meaning "battle" (Proto-Germanic *hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.

From Japanese 光 (hikaru) meaning "light" or 輝 (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.

From Japanese 光 (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.

From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".

Heinrich was popular among continental royalty, being the name of seven German kings, starting with the 10th-century Henry I the Fowler (the first of the Saxon kings), and four French kings. In France it was usually rendered Henri from the Latin form Henricus.

The Normans introduced the French form to England, and it was subsequently used by eight kings, ending with the infamous Henry VIII in the 16th century. During the later Middle Ages it was fairly popular, and was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. Notable bearers include arctic naval explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611), American-British novelist Henry James (1843-1916), American automobile manufacturer Henry Ford (1863-1947), and American actor Henry Fonda (1905-1982).

Dutch form of Henriette.

French feminine diminutive of Henri.

Old German form of Eloise.

German form of Henry. This was the name of several German kings.

Low German diminutive of Henrike or Henrik.

German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.

From the Old German name Hadewig, derived from the Old German elements hadu "battle, combat" and wig "war". This was the name of a 13th-century German saint, the wife of the Polish duke Henry the Bearded. It was subsequently borne by a 14th-century Polish queen (usually known by her Polish name Jadwiga) who is now also regarded as a saint.

Diminutive of Harriet.

From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather", 遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.

This name can be used to combine 晴 (sei, ha.re, haru) meaning "clear up," 陽 (you, hi) meaning "positive, sunshine, yang principle," 春 (shun, haru) meaning "spring(time)" or 遥 (you, haru.ka) meaning "distant" with 日 (jitsu, nichi, -ka, hi, -bi) meaning "day, sun," 妃 (hi, kisaki, ki) meaning "empress, queen" or 姫 (ki, hime, hime-) meaning "princess" (the last two kanji used for girls).

When used as 春日, it is also a word that refers to a spring day or otherwise spring sunlight (also transcribed as shunjitsu).

Bearers of this name include, in real life, music artist Haruhi Aiso (相曽 晴日) (1964-) and voice actress Haruhi Nanao (七緒 はるひ), formerly Haruhi Terada (寺田 はるひ) (1973-) and, in fictional media, main characters Haruhi Fujioka (藤岡 ハルヒ) and Haruhi Suzumiya (涼宮 ハルヒ) from the Ouran High School Host Club and Haruhi Suzumiya franchises respectively.

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.

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.

Originally a short form of Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of John. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of Henry, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive Henk. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-2021).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 八郎 (see Hachirō).

Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.

Variant of Gwendolen.

Possibly derived from the Old German elements gris "grey" and hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in The Decameron) and Chaucer (in The Canterbury Tales).

Latinized form of Gruffudd. This name can also be inspired by the English word griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).

From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.

From a surname that was a variant of Graham. This particular spelling for the given name has been most common in Scotland, New Zealand and Australia.

Diminutive of Grace.

Means "grace" in Spanish, making it a cognate of Grace.

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.

French feminine form of George.

From the English word gay meaning "gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.

French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).

Feminine form of Gabriel.

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.

English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.

Due to the renown of the saint, this name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. However, it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century. Famous bearers include Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), a missionary to East Asia, the philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon (1561-1626), the explorer and admiral Francis Drake (1540-1595), and Pope Francis (1936-).

In the English-speaking world this name is occasionally used for girls, as a variant of the homophone Frances.

Feminine form of Florinus.