ckwc's Personal Name List

Variant of Zaire.

From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.

Means "blessed, happy" in Yiddish, a vernacular form of Asher.

Gallicized form of Yvonnig.

French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.

French feminine form of Yves.

Medieval French form of Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.

Alternate transcription of Tibetan ཡོན་ཏན (see Yonten).

Alternate transcription of Tibetan ཡེ་ཤེས (see Yeshe).

From Tibetan ཡེ་ཤེས (ye-shes) meaning "wisdom, awareness, knowledge".

Transferred use of the surname Yarrow, and/or from the word for the flowering plant (Achillea millefolium).

Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.

From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Wyard or Wyot, from the Old English name Wigheard. Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was an American lawman and gunfighter involved in the famous shootout at the OK Corral.

From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.

Transferred use of the surname Wray.

From the English word, "Wonder."

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.

From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.

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

Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.

Diminutive of Winifred. Winnie-the-Pooh, a stuffed bear in children's books by A. A. Milne, was named after a real bear named Winnipeg who lived at the London Zoo.

Variant of Wynn.

From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).

This name was later borne by three other English kings, as well as rulers of Scotland, Sicily (of Norman origin), the Netherlands and Prussia. Other famous bearers include William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish hero, and William Tell, a legendary 14th-century Swiss hero (called Wilhelm in German, Guillaume in French and Guglielmo in Italian). In the literary world it was borne by dramatist William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet William Blake (1757-1827), poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850), dramatist William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), author William Faulkner (1897-1962), and author William S. Burroughs (1914-1997).

In the American rankings (since 1880) this name has never been out of the top 20, making it one of the most consistently popular names (although it has never reached the top rank). In modern times its short form, Liam, has periodically been more popular than William itself, in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and the United States in the 2010s.

From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form Wendel, with the extra l added later).

Old diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil (see Wendel). Saint Wendelin was a 6th-century hermit of Trier in Germany.

From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.

From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".

The surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley (1814) by Walter Scott. Streets in New York and San Francisco have been named Waverly after the novel, and a female character in Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) is named after the San Francisco street. The name received a small boost in popularity for girls after the 1993 release of the novel's movie adaptation, and it rose further after the debut of the television series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012).

Spanish and Catalan form of Vitalis (see Vitale).

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

Latin cognate of Hesperos. This name was used by the British author Ian Fleming for a female character, a love interest of James Bond, in his novel Casino Royale (1953). She also appears in the film adaptations of 1967 and 2006.

Variant of Vern, or transferred use of the surname Verne.

From the Roman cognomen Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.

As an English name, it has been used occasionally since the 12th century. It is the name of a central character in Shakespeare's play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).

Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.

The name of a cousin of Juliet killed by Romeo in William Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet (1596). The character earlier appears as Tebaldo, an Italian form of Theobald, in Luigi Da Porto's novella Giulietta e Romeo (1524), one of Shakespeare's sources. Shakespeare was also inspired by the character of Tybalt the Cat (from Thibault the French form of Theobald) in medieval fables of Reynard the Fox (evidenced by Mercutio calling Tybalt the "prince of cats").

Transferred use of the surname Twyford.

From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English tiwesdæg meaning "Tiw's day".

Feminine form of Tristan using the popular suffix ine, probably influenced by the sound of Christine. It is borne by American writer Tristine Rainer.

Dutch, Flemish and Limburgish short form of Catharina, which was created by combining its short form Trina with the French diminutive suffix -ette. In other words, you could say that the name is an attempted gallicization of Trina.

The name of a flowering plant genus, which is derived from Latin trium "three". (It has also been speculated that the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus modified the Swedish word trilling "triplet" to arrive at the New Latin name trillium.) The plant is so called for its whorl of three leaves (at the top of the stem), from the center of which rises a solitary, three-petaled flower, in color white, purple or pink.

In 2009 in the United States, five baby girls were given this name.

From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the traditional birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).

Spanish form of Topaz.

While it is predominantly feminine in Latin American countries, in the Philippines, it is predominantly masculine.

Anglicized form of Tighearnach.

Anglicized form of Tighearnán.

Means "resurrection" in Ge'ez.

From the English word that means "person born under the astrological sign Taurus" (see Taurus). Use of the name has been inspired by the American actor Taurean Blacque (1941-2022), known for his role on the police drama television series Hill Street Blues (1981-1987), who was born Herbert Middleton, Jr. and chose his stage name because his astrological sign was Taurus.

From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata.

Short form of Anastasia.

Means "good fortune" in Tibetan.

From Tarquinius, a Roman name of unknown meaning, possibly Etruscan in origin. This was the name of two early kings of Rome.

Means "completion" in Tibetian.

Variant of Tanis. This was used by Canadian author L. M. Montgomery in her short story 'Tannis of the Flats' (1920), where it belongs to a Métis girl of Cree descent. Montgomery may have intended it to be a derivative of a Cree word meaning "daughter" (cf. Danis).

Westernized form of Tīmūr e Lang (see Timur).

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.

Turkish form of the Arabic تاج الدين (Taj al-Din) meaning "crown of religion"

Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.

Means "smiling" in Arabic.

Medieval variant of Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).

French form of Silvanus.

Variant of Swann.

Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.

From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.

From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".

Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.

Feminine form of Spiro.

Transferred use of the surname Spero.

Latin form of Esperanza.

From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.

Means "radiant, bright" in Irish. It has been in use since late medieval times [2]. It is sometimes Anglicized as Sarah (in Ireland) and Clara (in Scotland).

From an Old Norse name, which was derived from the elements sól "sun" and veig "strength". This is the name of the heroine in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (1876).

Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.

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 "sun" in Spanish or Portuguese.

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

Short form of names containing the Slavic element slava meaning "glory". It is typically masculine in Russia and Belarus, unisex in Ukraine, and feminine the South Slavic countries.

From the English word for the type of songbird, i.e., the common European lark (Alauda arvensis; which is "famed for its melodious song"). Use of the name is probably inspired by the similar name Skylar; it could also be viewed as a combination of Sky and Lark.
This name has been in occasional use since the late 20th century.

From the Arabic sarq meaning "east" it is the name of the strong, hot wind that blows from Africa across the Mediterranean.

French feminine form of Simon 1. A famous bearer was Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), a French feminist and philosopher.

From Σίμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name שִׁםְעוֹן (Shimʿon) meaning "hearing, listening", derived from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear, to listen". This name is spelled Simeon, based on Greek Συμεών, in many translations of the Old Testament, where it is borne by the second son of Jacob. The New Testament spelling may show influence from the otherwise unrelated Greek name Simon 2.

In the New Testament Simon is the name of several characters, including the man who carried the cross for Jesus. Most importantly however it was borne by the leading apostle Simon, also known as Peter (a name given to him by Jesus).

Because of the apostle, this name has been common in the Christian world. In England it was popular during the Middle Ages, though it became more rare after the Protestant Reformation.

From Συμεών (Symeon), the Old Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Shimʿon (see Simon 1). In the Old Testament this is the name of the second son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the New Testament the Greek rendering Σίμων (Simon) is more common, though Συμεών occurs belonging to a man who blessed the newborn Jesus. He is recognized as a saint in most Christian traditions.

This name was also borne by a powerful 10th-century ruler of Bulgaria who expanded the empire to its greatest extent.

Means "mountain range" in Spanish, referring specifically to a mountain range with jagged peaks.

From the English word meaning "orange-red". It is ultimately from the name of the city of Siena in Italy, because of the colour of the clay there.

Transferred use of surname Sherwin.

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

From the Hebrew name שֵׁת (Sheṯ) meaning "placed, set". In the Old Testament he is the third named son of Adam and Eve, and the ancestor of Noah and all humankind. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.

From a Roman cognomen derived from Latin senectus meaning "old". This was the name of both a Roman orator (born in Spain) and also of his son, a philosopher and statesman.

This name also coincides with that of the Seneca, a Native American tribe that lived near the Great Lakes, whose name meant "place of stones".

Derived from Latin semper meaning "forever, always". It also coincides with a surname which derives from multiple distinct sources, including the French place name Saint-Pierre and the medieval Germanic personal name Sindperht (see Sindbert).

It has been occasionally used as a given name from the 18th century onwards.

Transferred use of the surname Seager.

From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).

Very rare as an American given name before 1980, it increased in popularity in the 1980s and 90s. It got a boost in 2004 after the debut of the television series Lost, which featured a character by this name.

From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English sæterdæġ, meaning "Saturn's day".

Means "Saint James", derived from Spanish santo "saint" combined with Yago, an old Spanish form of James, the patron saint of Spain. It is the name of the main character in the novella The Old Man and the Sea (1951) by Ernest Hemingway. This also is the name of the capital city of Chile, as well as several other cities in the Spanish-speaking world.

From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.

From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (zaʿfarān), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".

From a now extinct English surname that was derived from a Norman place name. It was occasionally given in honour of the English preacher Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724), especially by the Sitwell noble family.

From an English surname, of Norman origin, meaning "little red one" (a diminutive of Old French rous "red"). A notable bearer of the surname was the agnostic British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), who wrote on many subjects including logic, epistemology and mathematics. He was also a political activist for causes such as pacifism and women's rights.

This name was common throughout the English-speaking world for most of the 20th century, though in the 1960s it began a slow decline in most places.

From a place name meaning "red yard" in Old English. This name was borne by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), the author of The Jungle Book and other works, who was named after Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire.

Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century [1].

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.

From a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel "grove, thicket" and leah "clearing". A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979.

Means "river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.

From Tibetan རིན་ཆེན (rin-chen) meaning "treasure, gem, jewel".

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

From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names meaning either "reed clearing" or "channel clearing" in Old English.

Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi [1] as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.

As an English name, it became popular due to the Fleetwood Mac song Rhiannon (1976), especially in the United Kingdom and Australia.

From the Germanic name Raginhard, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England in the form Reinard, though it never became very common there. In medieval fables the name was borne by the sly hero Reynard the Fox (with the result that renard has become a French word meaning "fox").

Means "behold, a son" in Hebrew, derived from רָאָה (raʾa) meaning "to see" and בֵּן (ben) meaning "son". In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.

French feminine form of René.

Anglicized form of Rhys. It is also used as a feminine name, popularized by the American actress Reese Witherspoon (1976-).

Alternate transcription of Arabic ريم (see Rim).

Anglicized form of Rhys.

From the Germanic name Raginmund, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and munt "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Reimund. It was borne by several medieval (mostly Spanish) saints, including Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron of midwives and expectant mothers, and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of canonists.

From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Randel.

French form of Rayner.

Variant of Quintella inspired by the word quintessence, meaning "the fifth element", "aether". According to Medieval science, the quintessence was the material that filled the region of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. Later the word came to mean "a thing that is the most perfect example of its type".

Transferred use of the surname Quigley.

From the English word for a search, ultimately from from Medieval Latin questa "search, inquiry".

Transferred use of the surname Quantis.

Variant of Quantis.

From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.

English form of Priscillianus. This name was borne by a bishop of Ávila (Spain) from the 4th century AD.

Roman name, a diminutive of Prisca. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lived with Priscilla (also known as Prisca) and her husband Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his 1858 poem The Courtship of Miles Standish [1].

Feminine form of Priscus, a Roman family name meaning "ancient" in Latin. This name appears in the epistles in the New Testament, referring to Priscilla the wife of Aquila.

Modern Danish form of the name Pridbjørn, which was an old Scandinavian form of the Slavic (Wendish) name Predbor or Pridbor, which was possibly derived from Slavic perdŭ "first, in front of" and borti "to fight". It was imported into Danish via the medieval Putbus family, who were Slavic nobles from Rügen in Pomerania.

Derived from the Greek name Πορφύριος (Porphyrios), which was derived from the word πορφύρα (porphyra) meaning "purple dye". This was the name of several early saints.

From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.

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].

From the Roman cognomen Pictor, which is derived from Latin pictor "painter." Quintus Fabius Pictor was a Roman historian from the 3rd century BC.

Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.

Variant of Phinehas used in some English versions of the Old Testament.

From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.

French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.

Old French form of Petronilla borne by Perenelle Flamel (1320-1402), wife and fellow alchemist of Nicolas Flamel. They are known for their quest to discover the philosopher's stone, a legendary substance said to turn any metal into gold and to make its owner immortal.

Today, Perenelle is most commonly known for her mention in J.K. Rowling's fantasy novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, in which she and her husband have succeeded in creating the stone and have lived to be in their mid 600s.

From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.

Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur [1]. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.

Variant transliteration of Peninnah.

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.

Means "peace" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace".

Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the goddess of peace.

Means "good, excellent" in Tibetan.

The origin of the word panda is the Nepalese word nigalya ponya, which means 'eater of bamboo'.

This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.

Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.

Palmyra is a Syrian city.

Feminine form of Palmiro.

From a Scots surname, originally from the name of a town near Glasgow, maybe ultimately derived from Latin basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.

Diminutive of Paz 1.

Derived from the passive voice of an older Slavic verb ozreti se meaning "to look, glance".
This is the name of three mountains, two in Serbia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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From Serbian озарити/ozariti meaning "to make radiant".

Form of Uzziah used in the Greek, Latin and French Bibles. This spelling is also found in some English translations of the New Testament, in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

From the Old English elements os "god" and wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

Derived from the Old English elements os "god" and weald "powerful, mighty". Saint Oswald was a king of Northumbria who introduced Christianity to northeastern England in the 7th century before being killed in battle. There was also an Old Norse cognate Ásvaldr in use in England, being borne by the 10th-century Saint Oswald of Worcester, who was of Danish ancestry. Though the name had died out by the end of the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century.

Derived from Old English os "god" and ric "power, rule". This name was borne by several Anglo-Saxon kings, one of the earliest being Osric of Deira (7th century AD).

In literature, Osric is the name of a courtier in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

Form of Hoshea used in some versions of the Latin Bible.

Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.

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

Means "memory" in Basque.

Derived from Spanish oro, meaning "gold".

Italian form of Roland, as used in the epic poems Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and the continuation Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poems, Orlando is a knight in Charlemagne's army who battles against the invading Saracens. A character in Shakespeare's play As You Like It (1599) also bears this name, as does a city in Florida.

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

From the English word "oriole" referring to "any of various colorful passerine birds, the New World orioles from the family Icteridae and the Old World orioles from the family Oriolidae (typically yellow in color)". From the French oriole, from the Late Latin oriolus, from the Latin aureolus "made of gold, golden; adorned, covered, or decorated with gold, gilded; of the color gold, golden; golden, beautiful, splendid, magnificent, excellent".

From the verbal noun of verb 오르다 (oreuda) meaning "to go up" (compare Oreun).

This given name is best known for being the first name of the retired American football player and actor O. J. Simpson, who was born in 1947 as Orenthal James Simpson. According to a 1968 interview with LIFE magazine, Simpson himself does not know the meaning and origin of his first name, telling the reporter that his aunt was the one who had named him and that she would only ever tell him that she had named him after a French or Italian actor.

However, it is possible that his aunt was either not telling him the (whole) truth or that Simpson had misremembered her words, as I have been unable to find a 1940s-era French or Italian actor whose given name or surname even remotely resembles Orenthal. In addition to this, research on FamilySearch learned that Orenthal was used as a given name in the United States long before Simpson: I came across men named Orenthal that were born in 1903, 1915, 1921 and so on.

Further research showed that a German surname of Orenthal once existed, as well as the rare Norwegian and Swedish surnames of Orendahl and Orendal. All of these surnames are probably locational surnames, since -dahl and -dal in Norwegian and Swedish surnames is usually derived from Norwegian and Swedish dal meaning "dale, valley", whereas -thal (and -tal) in German surnames is usually derived from Old High German tal meaning "valley".

If that is indeed true here, then the Norwegian and Swedish surnames are each probably a variant form of the surnames Arendahl and Arendal respectively, both of which refer to a place with that name (such as the city of Arendal in Norway or the suburb of Arendal in the Swedish city of Göteborg). The name of both of those places means "valley of eagles" and is ultimately derived from Old Norse ǫrn "eagle" and Old Norse dalr "dale, valley".
As for the German surname of Orenthal: I have been unable to find out from which place name the surname could have been derived. Perhaps we should take into account the possibility that it might be a patronymic surname instead, in which case it might possibly be derived from (or etymologically related to) the medieval German given name Orendel.

With that said: another surname that might be of note in regard to the given name Orenthal, is the Gaelic surname of Aurendal or Aurendel. It is likely a Gaelic (variant) form of Arundel, an English surname that is ultimately derived from either Norman French arondel meaning "little swallow" (as in, the bird) or from Old English harhune dell meaning "valley of the horehound flower".

To go back to O. J. Simpson's case again for a moment: if his aunt did indeed name him after an actor (or someone with an other profession in the entertainment industry), then this actor might not necessarily have been French or Italian (contrary to what she had later claimed), nor would his given name or surname necessarily have been Orenthal exactly. For example, it could be that she named Simpson after someone with the surname of Rosenthal, but swapped the places of the first two letters and dropped the 's'. If that is indeed true, then a 1940s actor that could have been a possible inspiration to her might have been Harry Rosenthal (c. 1893-1953), who was also a composer.

So, all in all, at this point in time it seems likely that the given name Orenthal ultimately goes back to a surname, but we might perhaps never know which one exactly.

French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".

The name Oleander originated as an Greek name. In Greek, the name Oleander means "an evergreen tree."
The origin of the name was said to have come from a young man whose ardour to his Lady Love ended in a tragedy. The young man was named Leander, and his precious lady longing for his love shouting with such forlorn “O Leander!”, “O Leander!” in the banks, until finally he was found. And clasped in his hands were sweet flowers, who have become a symbol of everlasting love, known as oleanders.

Possibly taken from the plant family, Nerium oleander (flowering shrub known as oleanders), Cascabela thevetia (yellow oleander), Acacia neriifolia (oleander wattle); or a species of moth, Daphnis nerii (oleander hawk-moth).

In the complex language of love practiced during the time of Queen Victoria, the Oleander flower means caution.

A diminutive use of Oleander could be Ollie, Lee, Lee-Ann, or Anders.

From an English surname that was originally from a place name, itself derived from Old English wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and hyll "hill".

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

From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.

From the poetic Middle Welsh word nwyfre meaning "sky, heaven, firmament" and "ether, quintessence", derived from nwyf "energy, vigour". This is a recently coined Welsh name.

From the Latin word novem, meaning "nine". November was the ninth month of the Roman calendar before January and February were added around 713 BC. It is now the eleventh month of the year.

This is the name of one of the main adult female characters in Catherynne M. Valente's adult fantasy novel "Palimpsest" (2009). In the novel November remembers having read a book called "The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making" when she was a child, and the heroine of that book was called September. Valente later wrote that book as a crowd-funded work. It became the first volume in her bestselling "Fairyland" series.

Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور (see Nur).

From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.

English form of Noël or Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. It is occasionally written with a diaeresis, like in French. A famous bearer is British musician Noel Gallagher (1967-).

Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).

A famous bearer was the American jazz musician Nina Simone (1933-2003).

Nickname for someone with a good voice from Middle English nightegale "nightingale" (Old English nihtegale, ultimately from niht "night" and galan "to sing").

From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).

Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".

Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".

Possibly means "young girl" in Sundanese.

Means "little girl" in Tagalog.

Italian and Spanish form of Nazarius.

Likely based on the English word nautical, which is derived from Latin nauticus meaning "pertaining to ships or sailors", ultimately from Greek ναῦς (naus) "ship". Use of the name may also be influenced by the American clothing company Nautica.

Derived from the Greek μυοσωτίς meaning "mouse's ear," referring to the leaves of flowering plants belonging to a genus more commonly known as forget-me-nots.

Ukrainian form of Nicholas.

Possibly a feminine form of Moses.

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 the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.

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

Old German form of Miles, as well as the Latinized form. This form was revived as an English name in the 19th century [2].

Singular form of Milagres.

From Tibetan མིག་དམར (mig-dmar) meaning "Mars (the planet)" or "Tuesday", composed of མིག (mig) meaning "eye" and‎ དམར (dmar) meaning "red".

Meaning uncertain, perhaps a derivative of Hebrew מִגְדָּל (migdal) "tower" which is cognate with the place name Magdala (see Magdalene).

From the English word merry, ultimately from Old English myrige. This name appears in Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), where it is a diminutive of Mercy.

From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.

From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.

Possible transferred use of the surname Merivale.

From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

Originally this was probably a Yiddish diminutive of Manno. It is now used as a diminutive of Menahem.

Means "sea wind" in Turkish.

Variant of Meljo.

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 an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Meginhard.

Transferred use of the surname Mayfair.

From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.

As a given name it has increased in popularity starting from the 1980s, likely because it is viewed as a full form of Max [1].

From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).

Probably based on the word marvellous (compare Marvel). This is the name of a (now obscure) American jewelry brand (est. c.1911, specializing in imitation pearl jewelry).

From the English word meaning "a miracle, a wonder", derived from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful".

From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.

An influential bearer of the name was Martin Luther (1483-1546), the theologian who began the Protestant Reformation. The name was also borne by five popes (two of them more commonly known as Marinus). Other more recent bearers include the German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), and the American filmmaker Martin Scorsese (1942-).

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.

Means "servant of Jesus" in Scottish Gaelic.

Old German name derived from the elements manag "many" and walt "power, authority".

From the English word mahogany, a tropical tree of the genus Swietenia, valued for their hard, reddish-brown wood; or after the color of the wood. Ultimately from Spanish mahogani, perhaps of Mayan origin.

From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.

From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.

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.

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 a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").

Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.

Means "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Etymology uncertain.

From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.

From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.

From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.

From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.

French form of Lothar.

English form of Lothar.

Variant of Laurice.

Anglicized form of Lorcán.

Short form of Alonzo and other names containing the same sound. Famous bearers were American actors Lon Chaney Sr. (1883-1930) and Lon Chaney Jr. (1906-1973). The elder's birth name was Leonidas.

French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).

From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.

From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

Variant of Linnéa.

From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.

Derived from Old Norse lind meaning "linden tree".

From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

Variant of Lilium possibly influenced by Lillian.

Transferred use of the surname Lillis.

Lillis was Bing Crosby's middle name. (He was born Harold Lillis Crosby.)

Transferred use of the surname Lillard.

Scottish Gaelic of Lillian [1].

German diminutive of Elisabeth.

Medieval English form of Louis. A famous bearer was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This was also the surname of C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series.

This name is borne by actor Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (LeVar Burton). Burton himself says that name comes from the Latin veritas, meaning "truth."

From an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, originally denoting a person who was from that place. The city's name is derived from the river name Ligore combined with Latin castra "camp".

Italian form of Leo and Leon.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.

Transferred use of the surname Lennis.

From a surname that was a variant of Lee.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.

From the Roman cognomen Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England, partly because of a second saint by this name, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury. Likewise it has been common in Ireland due to the 12th-century Saint Laurence O'Toole (whose real name was Lorcán). Since the 19th century the spelling Lawrence has been more common, especially in America. A famous bearer was the British actor Laurence Olivier (1907-1989).

Scandinavian form of Laurence 1.

Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.

From the English word for the type of songbird.

Transferred use of the surname Langley 1.

Means "soft" in Arabic.

Means "love" in Indian.

Anglicized form of Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.

Means "all good, ever excellent" in Tibetan.

German short form of Nicholas, now used independently.

From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cynesige. This name is borne by Kinsey Millhone, the heroine in a series of mystery novels by author Sue Grafton, beginning in 1982.

From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, itself derived from the given name Fionnlagh.

From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".

Short form of Kimberly.

Means "friend" in Arabic.

Means "eternal" in Arabic, derived from خلد (khalada) meaning "to last forever". This name was borne by a 7th-century Islamic military leader, Khalid ibn al-Walid.

From the Hebrew name קְצִיעָה (Qetsiʿa) meaning "cassia, cinnamon", from the name of the spice tree. In the Old Testament she is a daughter of Job.

From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.

Short form of Mackenzie.

From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

The name was borne by a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. The saint was initially venerated in Syria, and returning crusaders introduced the name to Western Europe. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many different spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages. To this day both spellings are regularly used in the English-speaking world. In the United States the spelling Katherine has been more popular since 1973.

Famous bearers of the name include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. It was also borne by three of Henry VIII's wives, including Katherine of Aragon, and by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.

Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper.

Means "generous, noble" in Arabic, from the root كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous". In Islamic tradition الكريم (al-Karīm) is one of the 99 names of Allah.

Polish and Russian form of Callinicus.

Variant of Juno modeled after the Alaskan city of Juneau.

From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.

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

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

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

Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.

From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

From the English and Welsh surname, itself derived from the given name John.

Transferred use of the surname Joliet.

Latin form of Greek Ioannes (see John). Notable bearers include the inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468), astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), and composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).

Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).

From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.

English and Polish form of Latin Iohanna, which was derived from Greek Ἰωάννα (Ioanna), the feminine form of Ioannes (see John). This is the spelling used in the English New Testament, where it belongs to a follower of Jesus who is regarded as a saint. In the Middle Ages in England it was used as a Latinized form of Joan (the usual feminine form of John) and it became common as a given name in the 19th century.

In part from the English word jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French jouel, which was possibly related to jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname Jewel or Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

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 form of Jasper.

Spanish form of Xavier.

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.

From the name of the month, which was named for the Roman god Janus. This name briefly charted on the American top 1000 list for girls after it was borne by the protagonist of Jacqueline Susann's novel Once Is Not Enough (1973).

Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John [1]. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques [2]. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms jack-o'-lantern, jack-in-the-box, lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack Sprat.

American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name. It is also borne by the actor Jack Nicholson (1937-) and the golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940-). Apart from Nicklaus, none of these famous bearers were given the name Jack at birth.

In the United Kingdom this form has been bestowed more frequently than John since the 1990s, being the most popular name for boys from 1996 to 2008.

From the English word for the orange precious stone, originating from the same source as Hyacinth.

From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

Popularly claimed to be derived from the Italian word isola "island", this name might actually rather be a variant of Isolda.

Isola Wilde was the younger sister of author and playwright Oscar Wilde. Isola died aged eight of meningitis, and her brother dedicated the poem Requiescat to her memory.

From the name of the island of Islay, which lies off of the west coast of Scotland.

Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".

Derived from Greek ισχυρός (ischyros) meaning "mighty, powerful, strong". Saint Ischyrion of Alexandria was a martyr in Egypt who was impaled on a sharp pole. Ischyrion had the rank of Commander in Arrian Army. The feast day is traditionally celebrated on December 22.

Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

From the name of the American state, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.

From Latin ibis, referring to a type of long-legged bird with long downcurved bill, ultimately coming from Egyptian hbj. It was the symbol of Thoth, thus having a great importance in Egyptian mythology.

Diminutive of Ifan.

From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).

From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.

From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.

A variant of Holiday.

A noted bearer is English actress Holliday Grainger, best known for her roles as Lucrezia Borgia on the television series The Borgias and Bonnie Parker on the mini-series Bonnie & Clyde.

Variant of Hilary. A famous bearer of the surname was Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first man to climb Mount Everest. It is borne by the American politician Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-). The name dropped in popularity in 1993 after she became the first lady as the wife of Bill Clinton.

Latin form of Esther. Like Esther, it has been used in England since the Protestant Reformation. Nathaniel Hawthorne used it for the heroine of his novel The Scarlet Letter (1850), Hester Prynne, a Puritan woman forced to wear a red letter A on her chest after giving birth to a child out of wedlock.

Variant of Hershel.

English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.

The name was originally used among early Christians in honour of the saint, as opposed to the classical character. In England it was commonly spelled Ellen during the Middle Ages, and the spelling Helen was not regularly used until after the Renaissance. A famous bearer was Helen Keller (1880-1968), an American author and lecturer who was both blind and deaf.

From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.

From an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series The Big Valley [1].

From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.

Transferred use of the surname Haviland.

Derived from the English surname Haskell, which in turn is derived from the Old Norse personal name Ásketill. However, it should be noted that in some cases, Haskell (as a given name) can also be a variant spelling of the Yiddish given name Haskel.

Known bearers of this name include the American mathematician and logician Haskell Curry (1900-1982) and the American cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler (b. 1922).

English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).

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.

Possibly a religious themed named from the word Hark, meaning "listen," a popular word used in the Bible.

Transferred use of the surname Halley. It peaked in popularity in 1986, when Halley's Comet was last spotted from Earth. It rose again in the US in the mid 1990's when similar-sounding names (like Haley and Hallie) were increasing in popularity.

Belarusian name derived from the Greek name Philemon. It means "loving, giving love".

From the name of a genus of kingfisher birds, derived from Greek ἀλκυών (from the same source as Alcyone).

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

Variant of Hayley. This is currently the most common spelling in the United States, surpassing Haley in 2001 and attaining a high rank of 19th in 2010.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.

German diminutive of Margareta.

Meaning unknown. Manga author Yana Toboso used this name for a character in her popular manga serie 'Kuroshitsuji'. The name was also used in the 'Dungeons & Dragons' fantasy role-playing game, where it belong to a race of tentacled creatures.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.

From a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham [1]. A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. A famous bearer of the given name was the British author Graham Greene (1904-1991).

During the 20th century, Graham was more common in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada than it was in the United States. However, it has been rising on the American charts since around 2006.

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning "spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.

This was a fairly popular name throughout the English-speaking world during the 20th century, especially in Scotland and Canada. It peaked in both the United Kingdom and United States in the 1930s and has since disappeared from most of the popularity charts.

Latinized form of the Old English name Godgifu meaning "gift of god", from the elements god and giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.

From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Derived from the name Glory or Gloria.

From the Old Welsh name Gwladus, probably derived from gwlad meaning "country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel Puck (1870).

Variant of Gladys.

Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

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).

Means "my reward is God" in Hebrew, from the roots גָּמַל (gamal) meaning "to reward" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a son of Pedahzur. It was also borne by a 1st-century Jewish priest and scholar, mentioned in Acts in the New Testament as a teacher of Saint Paul.

Roman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin gaudere "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.

German diminutive of Friedrich.

From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.

Derived from the English word for the flower.
The flower itself was named after the German physician Friedrich Freese whose surname is a variant of Friese "a Frisian".
This name has been occasionally used in the English-speaking world from the late 1800s onwards.

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 Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century [1]. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.

Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).

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

French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).

From the Latin name Florentius or the feminine form Florentia, which were derived from florens "prosperous, flourishing". Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.

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

Feminine form of Flavius.

An invented name similar to Clara and Flora, possibly influenced by the English word "Flare."

Transferred use of the surname Finch.

Transferred use of the surname Ferris. See also Fergus.

From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Meaning, "to feel or show preference for someone or something."

From a German surname that was derived from the Latin name Faustus. This is the name of a character in German legends about a man who makes a pact with the devil, via his representative Mephistopheles. He is believed to be based on the character of Dr. Johann Faust (1480-1540). His story was adapted by writers such as Christopher Marlowe and Goethe.

Variant of Faramund.

From the Italian word for "fantasy, imagination", ultimately deriving from Greek φαντασία (phantasia). A known bearer is the American R&B singer Fantasia Barrino (1984-).

Patronymic form of Fallow.

From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.

From an English surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English eofor "boar" and leah "woodland, clearing". Notable bearers of the surname were the musical duo the Everly Brothers, Don (1937-2021) and Phil (1939-2014).

This name began rising on the American popularity charts in 2008, slowly until 2012 and then rapidly after that. This might have been triggered by the folk band Everly (not associated with the Everly Brothers), which had music featured on the television series One Tree Hill in that period. It also might have simply been inspired by similar-sounding names like Everett, Evelyn and Beverly.

Simply from the English word ever, derived from Old English æfre.

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

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

Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

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

Perhaps derived from Old French esmer meaning "to like, love, respect". This was the name of an enchanted queen of Wales in Le Bel Inconnu (ca. 1185-90), an Old French Arthurian poem by Renaut de Bâgé. In the poem, Blonde Esmeree is transformed from a serpent back into a maiden by the hero Guinglain, also known as the Fair Unknown.

Derived from Turkish esmer "dark" and ay "moon".

Russian and Ukrainian form of Erastus.

From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.

Appalachian vernacular form of Eleanor.

From the English name of the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It was ultimately named for the Germanic spring goddess Eostre. It was traditionally given to children born on Easter, though it is rare in modern times.

From an English surname that was derived from the medieval feminine name Diot, a diminutive of Dionysia, the feminine form of Dionysius. In America it was sometimes given in honour of Yale president Timothy Dwight (1752-1817). A famous bearer was the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969).

Portuguese form of Edward. This name was borne by a 15th-century king of Portugal, who was named after his maternal ancestor Edward III of England.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dubháin, itself derived from the given name Dubhán. Usage in America began around the start of the 20th century. It last appeared on the top 1000 rankings in 2002, though the variant Dwayne lingered a few years longer.

Alternate transcription of Arabic إدريس (see Idris 1) chiefly used in North Africa.

From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.

Spanish form of Dominicus (see Dominic).

Spanish feminine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).

A German short form of Dietrich that survived as a surname and was revived as a given name in the USA.

French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.

From an occupational surname meaning "one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word dexter meaning "right-handed, skilled".

Probably a variant of Dewi 1.

From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "Dane ford" in Old English. This is the name of the capital city of Colorado, which was named for the politician James W. Denver (1817-1892).

Usual English, German and Dutch form of Denis.

Italian and Romanian form of Demeter 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Greek Δήμητρα (see Dimitra).

From a surname: either the English surname Delaney 1 or the Irish surname Delaney 2.

Means "great happiness" in Tibetan.

Derived from the Latin word decem, meaning "ten". December is the twelfth month on the Gregorian calendar. This name is used regularly in America, mostly on females.

Possibly from the name of Daytona Beach, a coastal city in northeastern Florida (U.S.), which was founded in 1870 by Mathias Day, Jr., and is famous for its car races. It could also be thought of as a feminine variant of Dayton.

From the Old English dæġ, from the Proto-Germanic dagaz, from the Proto-Indo-European dʰegʷʰ- meaning 'to burn'.

Transferred use of the surname Darrow.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps an elaboration of Dalia 1. This name was used by Mexican-American musician Larry Hernandez for his daughter born 2010.

Means "coquettishness" in Arabic.

Meaning unknown, possibly from Old English dæg "day". Dagonet or Daguenet was a witless Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, usually described as the king's fool. Introduced in the Prose Lancelot, he becomes Arthur's beloved court jester in Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur and Tennyson's Idylls of the King.

From the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.

Latin form of Greek Κῦρος (Kyros), from the Old Persian name 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (Kuruš), possibly meaning "young" or "humiliator (of the enemy)" [1]. Alternatively it could be of Elamite origin. The name has sometimes been associated with Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord".

The most notable bearer of the name was Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire in the 6th century BC. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel after his conquest of Babylon. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.

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

From the English word cypress, a group of coniferous trees. Ultimately from Greek kuparissos.

From Middle English crow, Old English crawa, applied as a nickname for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion or for someone thought to resemble the bird in some other way.

Originally a diminutive of Christina and Christine.

Latin name that was derived from crescere "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.

From an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".

Originally more common as a name for boys in America, it became more popular for girls in the 1960s. It began rapidly increasing after 1973, possibly due to a character (played by Natalie Wood) in the television movie The Affair. It reached an apex in the United States ranked 17th in 1990, though it has quickly fallen away since then.

From a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "foremost water" in Welsh.

Character in the house next door novel written by Anne Rivers Siddon

From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.

Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clarus "clear".

From the name of the holiday, which means "Christ festival".

Means "lamp, light" in Hindi and other Indian languages, ultimately from Persian چراغ (cherāgh).

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin castrum "camp, fortress".

From the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning "landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.

Greek name derived from χάρμα (charma) meaning "delight". This was the name of one of Cleopatra's servants, as recorded by Plutarch.

Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.

Means "gazelle" in Turkish (probably of Mongolian origin, originally referring to the Mongolian gazelle, the zeren).

Possibly a diminutive of Alexandre. Alternatively, it could be derived from the French word cendre "ash", referencing to the Ash Wednesday.

From the Roman name Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.

Spanish form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).

Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper. This is the name of a friendly ghost in an American series of cartoons and comic books (beginning 1945).