lunarssong's Personal Name List

From Lithuanian žydra meaning "light blue".

Means "glowing" in Greek. This was the name of a Persian nobleman who aided his king Darius in the capture of Babylon. He did this by mutilating himself and then going to the Babylonians claiming that it had been Darius who did it to him. After gaining their trust he betrayed them.

Feminine form of Zlatan.

Masculine form of Zinta.

From the Serbian зима (zima) meaning "winter".

Derived from Lithuanian žiezdrà "sand; earth; spark". In Lithuanian mythology, this was the name of the personification of the planet Mars, one of the daughters of Saulė.

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.

Name of a Cornish village derived from the local saint, St Senara. In current use.

Derived from Latvian zaigot "to glisten, to glimmer".

Derived from the Lithuanian noun žaibas meaning "lightning".

Alternate transcription of Arabic زهرة (see Zahra 2).

Derived from the Lithuanian verb žadėti meaning "to promise" combined with old Lithuanian gailas, which usually means "strong, potent" but has also been found to mean "sharp, jagged" as well as "angry, fierce, violent" and "miserable, sorrowful, remorseful". Also compare the modern Lithuanian noun galia meaning "power, might, force".

Russian form of Juliana.

Possibly derived from Livonian im "miracle" and and "gift".

Derived from Albanian yll "star" and, figuratively, "fate, luck" and jetë "life".

From Albanian ylber meaning ''rainbow''.

Old German cognate of Winfrið.

Feminine form of Vytas or Vytis.

From the name of the blue-green pigment, which is derived from Latin viridis, meaning "green".

Derived from Romanian viorea (see Viorel).

Directly taken from Latvian vilnis "wave, surge".

Means "winter rose", derived from Old Norse vetr meaning "winter" and rós meaning "rose" (also see Rós). This is a recently created name.

From Old Norse vetr meaning "winter".

Norwegian form of the Old Norse name Vetrliði meaning "winter traveller", and by extension "bear cub".

Derived from Latvian veiksme "luck; good fortune; success".

Derived from the Lithuanian noun vasara meaning "summer".

Original Latin form of Valerian.

The meaning of the first element of this name is uncertain, as there are three possibilities for its etymology. The first possibility is that it is derived from the old Lithuanian noun vaiva meaning "light" (also see Vaiva). The other possibilities are a derivation from the old Lithuanian verb vajoti meaning "to chase, to pursue" and a derivation from the old Lithuanian noun vajys meaning "messenger, courier".

With that said, the second element of this name is derived from Baltic vyd meaning "to see" (see Vytautas). Also compare other names that end in -vydas, such as Alvydas and Tautvydas.

Derived from the Lithuanian noun vaivorykštė meaning "rainbow".

The Lithuanian goddess of the planet Mercury, one of the daughters of the sun goddess Saulė.

Legend has it that Perkūnas, the god of thunder and lightning, was supposed to marry the goddess Vaivora (or Vaiva) on a Thursday. The bride was, however, abducted by the evil Velnias and Perkunas has hunted down Velnias ever since.

Vaivora's name is derived from Lithuanian vaivorykštė "rainbow".

Derived from the Lithuanian noun vaidila meaning "priest" (as in, a pagan one) as well as "bard". In turn, the word is ultimately derived from the old Lithuanian verb vaidyti meaning "to visit, to appear", which is related to the modern Lithuanian verb vaidentis meaning "to haunt" as well as "to appear, to see". Also compare modern Lithuanian vaiduoklis meaning "ghost, apparition" and vaidytis meaning "to quarrel, to wrangle".

Contracted form of an older Czech name Veceslav, derived from the Slavic elements vęťĭjĭ "more, greater" and slava "glory". Saint Václav (known as Wenceslas or Wenceslaus in English) was a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia murdered by his brother. He is the patron saint of the Czech Republic. This was also the name of several Bohemian kings.

Derived from Latin Tyrianus "of Tyre", an ancient city which is located in modern-day Lebanon. The name of the city itself is said to be derived from a Semitic word meaning "rock".

In ancient times, the city was famous for the purple-red dye named Tyrian purple (also known as "royal purple", "imperial purple" or "imperial dye").

Means "chance, luck, fortune" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of fortune, luck and fate.

From Japanese 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji are possible.

From the Old Norse name Þórleifr, derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with leif "inheritance, legacy".

Derived from Greek τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour, to esteem". According to ancient writers, this was the name of a wealthy man of Athens who grew to hate humanity after he lost his riches and his friends deserted him. His story is related in Shakespeare's tragedy Timon of Athens (1607). This name is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.

Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).

Means "burnet rose" (literally "thorn-rose") in Icelandic. This is used as the Icelandic name for the fairy tale character Sleeping Beauty, being the Icelandic translation of German Dornröschen, the title character of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale (known as Briar Rose in English).

In Cornish folklore, Tamara is a nymph who lived in the underworld and wanted to wander freely in the mortal world, against the advice of her parents. When she falls in love with the giant Tawradge, she refuses to return to the underworld with her father. He becomes enraged and casts a spell on Tamara, turning her into a bubbling spring, which produced the Tamar river (Dowr Tamar in Cornish), that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall.

Derived from Finnish talvi meaning "winter". This is also the Finnish word for the wintergreen plant (genus Pyrola).

Derived from Estonian talv meaning "winter".

Finnish short form of Tatiana.

Old Norse form of Sverre, as well as the modern Icelandic form.

Meaning uncertain, possibly "Swabian woman" or "woman from Schwaben" from Old Norse svabar "Swabians", from the name of a Germanic (Suebic) tribe which allegedly derived from Old German swēba "free, independent". In the Eddic poem 'Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar', this was the name of a Valkyrie who would be reborn as Sigrún.

From Old High German strub meaning "rough, unkempt".

Romanian feminine form of Stylianos.

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).

Form of Sonya in various languages.

Means "peaceful" or "fairy-like" in Irish, from Old Irish síd. Alternatively, it could be from sídach "wolf".

Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

From Albanian shpresë meaning "hope".

From Chinese 适 (shì) meaning "to fit, to suit", 世 (shì) meaning "generation, era", or 石 (shí) meaning "stone, rock" combined with 娴 (xián) "elegant, refined", 贤 (xián) "virtuous, good", or 仙 (xiān) "fairy, celestial being", as well as other character combinations that can form this name.

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.

“Given name of the folk hero, Cúchulainn”. This birth name was imparted by the deity, Lug, prior to the conception of the demigod child by the mortal mother, Deichtine.

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

Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.

Alternate transcription of Arabic رقيّة (see Ruqayya).

From Italian rosa meaning "rose" and spina "thorn, spine", used as a translation of German Dornröschen, the title character of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale (known as Briar Rose in English).

Means "little seal", derived from Old Irish rón "seal" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints, including a pilgrim to Brittany who founded the hermitage at Locronan in the 6th century.

Derived from Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose" combined with Greek σθενος (sthenos) meaning "vigour, strength".

Means "rose" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.

Greek form of Rhoda.

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 a surname derived from the Old French nickname reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of Rain 1.

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.

Derived from Greek προμήθεια (prometheia) meaning "foresight, forethought". In Greek myth he was the Titan who gave the knowledge of fire to mankind. For doing this he was punished by Zeus, who had him chained to a rock and caused an eagle to feast daily on his liver, which regenerated itself each night. Herakles eventually freed him.

Derived from Albanian pranverë meaning "spring", itself from pranë "nearby, close" and verë "summer".

Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.

Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).

Derived from Proto-Indo-European *perkwunos or *perkunos, which itself is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *perkwus or *perkṷu meaning "oak tree" or "fir tree". Also compare Perun.

In Baltic mythology, Perkūnas is the name of the god of thunder, rain, mountains, oak trees and the sky. His name has stayed the same in Lithuanian (where his name has even become synonymous with thunder), but it has changed slightly in the other Baltic languages over time: for example, in Latvian, his name is now Pērkons.

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

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.

Latinized form of Greek Ὀφιοῦχος (Ophiouchos) meaning "serpent bearer". This is the name of an equatorial constellation that depicts the god Asklepios holding a snake.

From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".

Derived from Bulgarian огнен (ognen) meaning "fiery".

Croatian and Serbian variant form of Ognyan.

Old Norse form of Oddvar.

Irish Gaelic form of Kelly 1.

Irish Gaelic form of Callahan.

From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero" [1][2]. A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.

In the early Middle Ages the name was adopted by Norse raiders and settlers in Ireland in the form Njáll. The Norse transmitted it to England and Scotland, as well as bringing it back to Scandinavia. It was also in use among the Normans, who were of Scandinavian origin. A famous bearer of this name was American astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), the first person to walk on the moon.

Variant of Muirenn.

From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".

Derived from Cornish morvoren "mermaid" (ultimately from Cornish mor "sea" and moren "maiden"). This was the bardic name or pseudonym of a member of the Gorsedh Kernow (Katherine Lee Jenner, 1904). It is also associated with the mermaid of Zennor, which is the subject of Cornish folklore (perhaps due to its use by Cornishman Philip Cannon, 1929-, in his two-act opera 'Morvoren', 1964). In Britain, this has been used as a given name at least 11 times.

Modern Irish form of Morrígan.

From the name of a river in Wales, derived from Welsh môr "sea" and llais "voice". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Old Welsh form of Morgan 1.

From Old Slavic morŭ meaning "death, plague" [1]. In Slavic mythology this was the name of a goddess associated with winter and death.

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.

Later Welsh form of Matrona 2 [1][2][3]. In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she is the mother of Mabon, who was taken from her as a baby.

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

Romanian, Croatian and Albanian form of Mireille.

Romanian form of Menodora.

Diminutive and feminine form of Meine.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 空 (ku) meaning "sky" or 久 (ku) meaning "long time". It can also come from a nanori reading of 未来 (mirai) meaning "future". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.

Hungarian form of Nicholas.

Possibly from Greek μήλινος (melinos) meaning "quince-coloured, yellow", a derivative of μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit, apple". According to Greek mythology she was a chthonic nymph or goddess, often described as a daughter of Persephone and Zeus.

Baltic and Slavic goddess associated with seasonal agrarian rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature, Marzana is often referred to as a goddess of death.

In medieval (Christian) written sources, she is mentioned as early as the 9th century, although her exact function seems to be somewhat disputed. The medieval encyclopedical dictionary Mater Verborum (also called Glosa Salomonis), written around 1240, compares her to the Greek goddess Hecate, associating her with sorcery, while 15th-century Polish chronicler Jan Długosz likened her to Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Either way, to this day in some regions of Poland, there is a festival held where an effigy of Marzanna is made in the month of March, and is burned to symbolize the triumph of springtime over winter. This is known as The Burning and Drowning Ritual of Marzanna.

The origin and meaning of her name is also a source of dispute.
Some scholars derive her name from the same Indo-European root word that gave us Latin mors "death" and Russian mor "pestilence", emphasizing the death aspect of the goddess.
Others argue that her name might be related to a Slavic root word meaning "to freeze" or "frozen", in accordance with her function as a goddess of winter, while some scholars point out that mara is a Russian dialect word meaning "phantom; vision; hallucination", linking her to mare, an evil spirit in Germanic and Slavic folklore, associated with nightmares and sleep paralysis.
Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov and Vladimir Toporov, however, supposed that her name was derived from the same root as the name of the Roman god of war Mars, who was originally an agricultural deity (a theory that some academics like to back up by the fact that the Polish word for "(the month of) March" is marzec).

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

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

Derived from Georgian მაყვალი (maqvali) meaning "blackberry".

Derived from Gothic mathl "meeting place" combined with haidu "figure, person" (see Adelaide).

Variant of Mabyn.

Means "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.

Means "flower of life" in Albanian, from lule "flower" and jetë "life".

Italian form of Lucretia.

Derived from Gaulish lubitiata, itself the past participle of lubi- "to love".

Derived from Cornish lowena "happiness, bliss, joy". This is a modern Cornish name.

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

Unaccented variant of Llŷr.

From Swedish lind meaning "linden tree" and holme (Old Norse holmr) meaning "small island".

Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.

Possibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as Larissa, with a double s. As a Ukrainian name, it is more commonly transcribed Larysa.

a bright blue metamorphic rock consisting largely of lazurite, used for decoration and in jewelry.

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

Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.

Derived from the Germanic name elements kolr "coal" and þerna "maid-servant".

Byname derived from Old Norse kol meaning "coal".

Old Norse byname, from Old Norse kolka meaning "stain", "spot".

Composed of Old Norse kol meaning "coals, black as coal" and Old Norse freyja meaning "lady".

Composed of Old Norse kol meaning "coals, black as coal" and dís meaning "goddess".

Form of Kolr found in Old Danish and Old Swedish, as well as the modern Swedish form.

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

From a surname that was a variant of Kerr.

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

Possibly from Albanian kaltër meaning "blue, azure".

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.

Short form of Jasper, Jasmine and other names beginning with jas-.

Latin and Romanian form of Julia.

Means "spark" in South Slavic.

From the Old Norse name Yngvarr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Yngvi combined with herr meaning "army, warrior".

Coined by Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty for a character in his pantomime 'Csongor és Tünde' (1831). The origin and meaning of this name are uncertain, however theories include a truncated form of Vilma and a contraction of Ilona and Vilma.

Means "air" in Finnish.

Polish feminine form of Ignatius.

Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

Greek form of Hyacinthus.

Old German form of Rose.

Means "the shaker" from Old Norse hrista "shake, quake". In Norse poetry the name was frequently used as a kenning for "woman"; in mythology it belonged to a Valkyrie.

Means "raven" in Old Norse.

From Japanese 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly".

Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin hora meaning "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.

Diminutive of Vilhelmiina or Vilhelmina. It also means "pearl" in Finnish.

Greek form of Hecate.

From Hungarian gyöngy meaning "pearl", of Turkic origin.

Short form of Margareta. A famous bearer of this name was the Swedish actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990).

From Bulgarian горя (gorya) meaning "to burn".

From a nickname for a person with blond hair, from the English word gold.

Variant of Golda.

Derived from the Germanic name elements gisel "shaft (of an arrow)" and heit "kind, sort, appearance".

Feminine form of Gintaras.

From the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king Gentius, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.

Means "wrath" or "fury" in Irish. Fraoch is a Connacht hero in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, the hero of the 'Táin Bó Fraoch', Cattle Raid of Fraoch (which has been claimed to be the main source of the English saga of 'Beowulf'). He is the nephew of Boann, goddess of the river Boyne, and is renowned for his handsomeness.

French variant of Florien (strictly masculine) and Dutch variant of Fleurine (strictly feminine).

From Albanian flakë meaning "flame".

From Albanian fjollë meaning "fine snow".

From Irish fiann meaning "band of warriors".

Means "wild, wild animal, deer" (modern Irish fia) or "respect" in Irish.

From Old Irish Fiachrae, possibly from fiach "raven" or fích "battle" combined with rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.

Derived from French fauve. As a noun, fauve means "tawny-coloured animal" and, by extension, " big cat (such as a lion or lynx); beast, wild animal (especially fierce, aggressive, or predatory)". As an adjective, fauve means "tawny" and, by extension, "savage, fierce (having the ferocity of a wild animal); dangerous, wild". The name first appeared in the 1980s and was brought to public attention by Fauve Hautot (born 3 March 1986), a French dancer and choreographer.

Feminine form of Eutychios (see Eutychius).

Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.

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.

Means "brisk, vigorous, hale" in Old Norse. This was the name of the wife of Jarl in Norse legend.

From the Old Norse byname Erlendr, which was derived from ørlendr meaning "foreigner".

Means "ever ruler", from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and ríkr "ruler, king". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

This common Norse name was first brought to England by Danish settlers during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was not popular in England in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, in part due to the children's novel Eric, or Little by Little (1858) by Frederic William Farrar.

Probably derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.

Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.

Derived from Livonian elmed, the plural form of elm "pearl".

Derived from Welsh elus meaning "kind, benevolent". This was the name of two kings of Powys in Wales.

Dutch variant of names beginning with Eli, such as Elijah or Elisabeth.

Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.

Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.

Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh [1].

From the Old English elements eald "old" and wine "friend". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.

Greek form of Draco.

Variant of Diellza.

Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

As a given name, Diana has been regularly used since the Renaissance. It became more common in the English-speaking world following Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817), which featured a character named Diana Vernon. It also appeared in George Meredith's novel Diana of the Crossways (1885). A notable bearer was the British royal Diana Spencer (1961-1997), the Princess of Wales.

Means "sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.

Likely derived from Cornish derow "oak trees" (ultimately from Proto-Celtic *daru "tree"). Saint Derwa is the patron saint of Menadarva (Merther Derwa in Cornish, translating to grave of St Derwa in English) in the parish of Camborne, Cornwall. Nothing is now known about this saint, not even their gender. There have been speculations that Saint Derwa might have been and a man and in fact none other than Saint Dyfan. In modern times, however, this name has been resurrected as a feminine name.

From Gaelic Der bForgaill, which apparently meant "daughter of Forgall". It may be an earlier form of Dearbháil or Deirbhile. This was the name of a legendary princess of Lochlann (Norway) who had been left for the Fomorii in lieu of tribute on a deserted beach. Cúchulainn happened by and slew the Fomorii and she fell in love with him. She turned herself into a swan, with a handmaiden, and followed Cúchulainn back to Ireland. Cúchulainn was hunting with a companion, Lóegaire, and he cast a stone with his slingshot bringing down one of the swans that flew over. It was Derbhorgill. He sucked out the slingshot and healed her but, being now united to him by blood, Derbhorgill was forbidden to wed him. Cúchulainn gave her to Lóegaire to wed (Peter Berresford Ellis, 1987). This was also borne by a 12th-century princess of Meath who was abducted by the king of Leinster in 1152.

Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.

Greek form of Daedalus.

From the Old Norse name Dagný, which was derived from the elements dagr "day" and nýr "new".

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Dagny.

From the Old Norse name Dagfinnr, which was composed of the elements dagr "day" and finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".

Means "laurel" in Albanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian, of Greek origin.

Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.

Feminine form of Cosmin.

From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, decency". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.

Latinized form of Greek Κίρκη (Kirke), possibly from κίρκος (kirkos) meaning "hawk". In Greek mythology Circe was a sorceress who changed Odysseus's crew into hogs, as told in Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus forced her to change them back, then stayed with her for a year before continuing his voyage.

Borrowing from French chiffon, from Middle French chiffe "cloth, old rag" from Old French chipe "rag", from Middle English chip, chippe "chip, shard, fragment" from Old English ċipp "chip, splinter, beam" from Proto-Germanic kippaz, kipaz (“log, beam”). Akin to Old Saxon kip "beam, post", Old High German kipfa "axle-rod, stave".

Possibly from cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh cwrr "corner") combined with ben "woman" or gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard Taliesin.

This name appears briefly in a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen in the form Kyrridven [1] and in a poem in the Book of Taliesin in the form Kerrituen [2]. Some theories connect her to an otherwise unattested Celtic goddess of inspiration, and suppose her name is related to Welsh cerdd "poetry".

Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).

From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.

Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.

Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century [1].

From the name of places near the town of Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales.

Directly taken from Welsh cariad "love, affection; darling, sweetheart". This name is borne by British comedian Cariad Lloyd.

Means "little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.

Late Latin name meaning "of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin caelum "heaven, sky".

From Old Welsh Catigirn meaning "battle king", derived from cat "battle" and tigirn "king, monarch". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Powys in Wales, the son of Vortigern.

Means "armour" in Old Norse.

Anglicized form of Brónach.

From Old Irish bríg meaning "might, power". This was the name of a daughter of the Irish god Dagda.

From the English word for the thorny plant.

Derived from Cornish Borlowen "morning star".

Derived from Greek βορέας (boreas) "north wind". Kung Bore (King Bore) is a Swedish personification of winter.

Derived from Albanian blertë meaning "green".

Derived from Czech and Slovak blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic *bolgŭ "good, pleasant".

Derived from the South Slavic word бисер (biser) meaning "pearl" (ultimately of Arabic origin).

Means "jewel" in French. It is mostly used in French-speaking Africa.

Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603).

Derived from Cornish Borlowen "morning star, Venus".

Means "full moon" in Arabic.

Means "oak tree" in Lithuanian.

From old Basque azenar(i), azenari ("fox", modern azeri).

Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.

Romanian and German form of Aurelius.

Means "storm" in Lithuanian.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Atticus.

French form of Astraea and Astraeus.

Greek form of Astraea.

Means "lightning, flash of light" in Greek. This is the name of several characters from Greek mythology, including a naiad who died fleeing Aesacus.

From the Old Norse name Arnviðr, derived from the elements ǫrn "eagle" and viðr "tree".

Originally an Old Norse short form of names beginning with the element ǫrn meaning "eagle".

Derived from Albanian argjend "silver; silver thread".

When borne by a female person, this name is a good example of how one can turn a very masculine name (Arend) into a feminine name by simply adding the diminutive suffix -je to the original name. But when borne by a male person, this name is simply a pet form because of the diminutive suffix. Also compare Arentjen, which is the medieval form of this name. Arenda is also worth a look, since it is also a feminine form of Arend (though a much less common one at that).

Lastly, it might be interesting to know that arendje is also an independent word in the Dutch language and means "little eagle" in English. However, cases where Arendje as a given name was inspired by this word are likely to be few to none, due to the prevalence of Arendje as a proper given name that - via Arend - is ultimately derived from the Germanic given name Arnold.

Derived from Hungarian arany meaning "gold". It is used as a vernacular form of Aurélia.

Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.

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

Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and ger "spear". Saint Ansgar was a 9th-century Frankish missionary who tried to convert the Danes and Norwegians.

Derived from Greek ἀμύντωρ (amyntor) meaning "defender". This was the name of several kings of Macedon.

Derived from Old Norse ámr "black, loathsome, dark" and garðr "enclosure, protection". This is the name of a giantess in Norse mythology.

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

From the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements alfr "elf" and herr "army, warrior".

Means "diamond" in Arabic, ultimately from Persian الماس (almās).

Ancient Greek form of Alcyone.

Variant of Alboin.

From Dutch allerliefste meaning "most dearest". This name could have referred to the nature of the person or perhaps a phrase the person commonly used.

Means "devil" or "demon" in Japanese This is the name of one of the antagonists in the fighting-game series 'Street Fighter'. In the original Japanese game his name is Gouki.

Derived from Greek αἴθων (aithon), which can be an adjective meaning "fiery, burning" as well as be a noun meaning "fire, burning heat".

Also compare the closely related noun αἰθος (aithos) meaning "fire, burning heat" and the name Aither.

All are ultimately derived from the Greek verb αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to ignite, to light (up), to kindle, to burn".

Greek form of Aether.

Derived from either the Greek noun αἴθαλος (aithalos) meaning "thick smoke, smoky flame" or the Greek noun αἰθάλη (aithale) meaning "soot". Also compare the Greek adjective αἰθαλέος (aithaleos) meaning "smoky". All of the aforementioned words are ultimately derived from the Greek noun αἰθος (aithos) meaning "fire, burning heat", which itself is derived from the Greek verb αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to ignite, to light (up), to kindle, to burn".

Means "dream" or "vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.

French form of Amy.

Greek form of Aegle.

Variant of Afërdita.

Means "daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from afër "nearby, close" and ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of Aphrodite.

Feminine form of Adrastos. In Greek mythology this name was borne by a nymph who fostered the infant Zeus. This was also another name of the goddess Nemesis.

From the Old Germanic name Adalheidis (See Adelaide). It means "noble", "noble kind", "nobility", etc.

Shortened form of Adalheidis.

Means "nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of adal "noble" and the suffix heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.

In Britain the parallel form Alice, derived via Old French, has historically been more common than Adelaide, though this form did gain some currency in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.

From the Old German elements adal "noble" and wini "friend" (a cognate of Æðelwine).