blackelectric's Personal Name List

Feminine form of Zosimos (see Zosimus).

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.

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

Earlier form of Beatrix.

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

Roman family name that was derived from Latin valere "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.

English form of Valentinianus, used to refer to the Roman emperor.

Latin form of Urs.

Feminine form of Ursus. This is the name of two constellations in the northern sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

Form of Tullius (see Tullio) used to refer to the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero.

Derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". In the New Testament this name is mentioned briefly as belonging to a companion of Tryphena.

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

Feminine form of Theophanes.

Westernized form of Tīmūr e Lang (see Timur).

Polish form and Latin variant of Sibylla.

From the Punic name 𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 (Ṣapanbaʿl) probably meaning "Ba'al conceals", derived from Phoenician 𐤑𐤐𐤍 (ṣapan) possibly meaning "to hide, to conceal" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. Sophonisba was a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian princess who killed herself rather than surrender to the Romans. Her name was recorded in this form by Roman historians such as Livy. She later became a popular subject of plays from the 16th century onwards.

Bulgarian, English, Russian and Ukrainian form of Severianus. This name is also used in Georgia, where it is a shorter form of Severiane, the older Georgian form of Severianus. Last but not least, this name has been borne by four saints.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which meant "seventh" in Latin.

Probably from a Greek form of the name Shammuramat. According to ancient Greek and Armenian sources, Semiramis (Շամիրամ (Shamiram) in Armenian) was an Assyrian queen who conquered much of Asia. Though the tales are legendary, she might be loosely based on the real Assyrian queen.

From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.

Galician and Italian form of Saladin.

Anglicized form of Salah ad-Din.

Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.

From Egyptian nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful" [1]. This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (13th century BC), the favourite wife of Ramesses II.

Variant of Mildburg.

Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.

Roman family name that was derived either from Mars, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of Maria.

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

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion" combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. This was also the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr, the father of Origen, from Alexandria.

Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.

German form of Cyrenius.

Feminine form of Kyrenius.

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

From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.

English form of Yves, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.

Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.

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

Means "of Hyrcania", Hyrcania being a Greek form of the Persian name Verkâna, which meant "wolf-land" and referred to a historical region in Persia. Hyrcanus was a member of the Hasmonean dynasty, the Jewish High Priest and King of Judea in the 1st century BC.

Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.

English form of Hyacinthus.

From the Roman name for Ireland, which was influenced by Latin hibernus "wintry". (Cf. Ierne, Iverna, Juverna.)

Ancient Greek personal name that was probably derived from the name of the Greek goddess Hera. It was borne by a saint and martyr from Alexandria who was killed during the early 4th-century persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.

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

From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.

A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain. His family came from the town of Atri in central Italy.

From Old Welsh Guorthigirn meaning "supreme king", from guor meaning "over" and tigirn meaning "king, monarch". It is possible that this is not a name, but a title. According to medieval chroniclers, Gwrtheyrn (also known as Vortigern) was a 5th-century king of the Britons. It was he who invited the brothers Hengist and Horsa to Britain, which eventually led to the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.

From the Roman name Gratianus, which was derived from Latin gratus meaning "grateful". Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.

Derived from Latin floscellus, a diminutive of flosculus (which itself is a diminutive of flos "flower, blossom"), meaning "small flower". Saint Floscellus was a young man who was martyred in the persecutions of Marcus Aurelius. He was tortured and thrown to wild animals in 2nd century at Autun, France.

Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning "to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἔραστος (Erastos) meaning "beloved, lovely". This was the name of an assistant of Paul mentioned in Acts and two epistles in the New Testament.

Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.

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

Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Drusus. In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla is the wife of Felix.

Derived from the Old English elements deore "dear" and wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may derive from deor "wild animal, beast; deer".

Derived from the Roman name Dacia, which is a region now serving as Moldova and Romania.

Meaning unknown. Saint Cyra was a 5th-century Syrian hermit who was martyred with her companion Marana.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from Constans.

Derived from the Old English elements col "coal" (see kol) and grīma "mask" (see grimo). Cognate to Icelandic Kolgrímur.

From the Ancient Greek Χριστός (Christos) meaning "anointed" and φάνεια (phaneia) meaning "appearing".

Latin form of Καμβύσης (Kambyses), the Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎣𐎲𐎢𐎪𐎡𐎹 (Kabujiya), which is of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the geographical name Kamboja, a historical region in Central Asia [1]. Two Persian kings bore this name, including Cambyses II, the second ruler of the Achaemenid Empire, who conquered Egypt.

Feminine form of Calpurnius. This was the name of Julius Caesar's last wife.

Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.

Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic kad meaning "battle". Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the 8th-century writings of the historian Bede.

Latinized form of Greek Κάδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.

Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Latinized form of Artemios.

Saint Arilda is an obscure female saint from Oldbury-on-Severn in the English county of Gloucestershire who probably lived in the 5th or 6th century. She may have been of either Anglo-Saxon or Welsh origin.

Middle Persian form of Old Persian Artaxšaça (see Artaxerxes). This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Persia who defeated the Parthians and founded the Sasanian Empire. He also reestablished Zoroastrianism as the state religion.

Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.

Latinized form of Arkadios.

Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.

Ancient Greek name derived from the name of the god Apollo. This was the name of several early saints and martyrs, including a bishop of Ravenna and a bishop of Hierapolis.

Ancient Greek form of Anfisa.

Feminine form of Greek Andronikos and Bulgarian Andronik. This name was borne by Andronika 'Donika' Arianiti (1428-1506), also known as Donika Kastrioti, the wife of Albanian national hero Skanderbeg, leader of a revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

From the Greek Ἀνατόλιος (Anatolios), derived from ἀνατολή (anatole) meaning "sunrise". Saint Anatolius was a 3rd-century philosopher from Alexandria.

Feminine form of Anatolius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Italian saint and martyr. This is also a place name (from the same Greek origin) referring to the large peninsula that makes up the majority of Turkey.

Ionic Greek variant of Άμαστρις (Amāstris), the Hellenized form of an Old Persian name, perhaps from a hypothetic name like *Amāstrī- (composed of the elements *ama- "strength, strong" and *strī- "woman"). It could be connected to the biblical name Esther, both perhaps derived from the Akkadian Ummu-Ishtar "Ishtar is (my) mother" (or Ammu-Ishtar). Alternatively it could be derived from an Old Persian word meaning "friend". It was borne by the wife of Xerxes and mother of Artaxerxes.

From the Visigothic name *Amalareiks, derived from the Gothic element amals meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave", also referring to the royal dynasty of the Amali, combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Visigoths, as well as two 12th-century rulers of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Possibly from a Visigothic name, maybe from Gothic elements such as alls "all" or aljis "other" combined with auds "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.

From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.

Derived from Greek agathos meaning "good" (see Agathon). It was borne by a 6th-century Greek historian and poet, who chronicled the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

Variant of Agatha.

Originally used by the Romans as a nickname for a woman from Africa. This was the name of two early saints.