Anna the singer's Personal Name List

Meaning unknown, perhaps an invented name. It has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. It coincides with an Italian surname, a famous bearer being the French-Italian author Émile Zola (1840-1902).

Means "life" in Greek. From early times it was adopted by Hellenized Jews as a translation of Eve. It was borne by two early Christian saints, one martyred under Emperor Hadrian, the other martyred under Diocletian. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by a ruling empress of the 11th century.

As an English name, Zoe (sometimes with a diaeresis as Zoë) has only been in use since the 19th century. It has generally been more common among Eastern Christians (in various spellings).

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

Alternate transcription of Arabic ضياء (see Ziya), as well as the usual Urdu and Bengali transcription.

Borne by the American actress Zendaya Coleman (1996-), known simply as Zendaya. Her name was apparently inspired by the Shona name Tendai.

Meaning unknown, possibly an invented name. It arose in the 19th century.

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

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

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

French feminine form of Yves.

From Japanese 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" and 里 (ri) meaning "village". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji.

From Chinese 云 (yún) meaning "cloud" or 允 (yǔn) meaning "allow, consent", as well as other Chinese characters that are pronounced in a similar way.

From Japanese 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Chinese 玉 (yù) meaning "jade, precious stone, gem", 愉 (yú) meaning "pleasant, delightful" or 雨 (yǔ) meaning "rain". Other characters can form this name as well.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽太 (see Yōta).

From Japanese 芳 (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or 由 (yoshi) meaning "reason, case" combined with 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations with the same reading can also form this name.

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

From Japanese 陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or 洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

From Sino-Korean 永 (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" combined with 哲 (cheol) meaning "wise, sage". Other hanja combinations are possible.

From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.

From Chinese 武 (wǔ) meaning "military, martial" (which is generally only masculine) or 务 (wù) meaning "affairs, business", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. This was the name of several Chinese rulers, including the 2nd-century BC emperor Wu of Han (a posthumous name, spelled 武) who expanded the empire and made Confucianism the state philosophy.

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

Short form of Wilhelmina. German settlers introduced it to America in the 19th century.

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

From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

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

Diminutive of Victoria.

Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.

Though in use elsewhere in Europe, the name was very rare in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when Queen Victoria began her long rule of Britain. She was named after her mother, who was of German royalty. Many geographic areas are named after the queen, including an Australian state and a Canadian city.

From the English word for the soft fabric. It became used as a given name after the main character in Enid Bagnold's book National Velvet (1935) and the movie (1944) and television (1960) adaptations.

Feminine form of Valerius. This was the name of a 2nd-century Roman saint and martyr.

Feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1). A famous bearer is the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova (1937-), who in 1963 became the first woman to visit space.

From the English word unique, ultimately derived from Latin unicus.

From Japanese 梅 (ume) meaning "Japanese apricot, plum" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume). In Japan the ume blossom is regarded as a symbol of spring and a ward against evil. Different kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Short form of Beatrix.

Feminine form of Tristan.

Perhaps a short form of Demetria and other names ending in a similar sound.

Means "oyster" in Vietnamese.

Diminutive of Victoria.

Short form of Christina, Martina and other names ending in tina. In addition to these names, it is also used in Dutch as a short form of Catharina, in Swedish and Croatian as a short form of Katarina, and in Georgian as a short form of Tinatin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.

From the English word for a semicircle crown, ultimately of Greek origin.

Short form of names ending with tia. It has been suggested that its use since the 1950s is the result of the brand name for the coffee liqueur Tia Maria [1]. In the brand name, Tia is not a given name; rather, it means "aunt" in Spanish or Portuguese.

From Sino-Vietnamese 純 (thuần) meaning "pure, clean, simple".

Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.

From the English word thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

From the English word for the type of duck or the greenish-blue colour.

Probably a feminine form of Taylor influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kayla.

Short form of Natasha.

From Japanese 孝 (takashi) meaning "filial piety", 隆 (takashi) meaning "noble, prosperous" or 崇 (takashi) meaning "esteem, honour, venerate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.

Variant of Talia 2.

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.

Variant of Susanna.

Short form of Susan.

From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".

Variant of Sunny.

Variant transcription of Seon-mi.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 성 (see Seong).

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.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 선 (see Seon).

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

Feminine variant of Stacy.

French form of Sophia.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 수진 (see Su-Jin).

Russian diminutive of Sophia. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1869, English translation 1886).

Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".

Feminine form of Silvius. Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great. It has been a common name in Italy since the Middle Ages. It was introduced to England by Shakespeare, who used it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594). It is now more commonly spelled Sylvia in the English-speaking world.

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.

From Japanese 翔 (shō) meaning "soar, glide" and 太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other combinations of kanji are also possible.

Anglicized form of Seonag or Seònaid. Though unconnected, this is also the name of an ethnic group who live in the south of Africa, mainly Zimbabwe.

Variant of Shirley.

As a feminine name it can be from Japanese 詩 (shi) meaning "poem" combined with 織 (ori) meaning "weave". It can also be from 栞 (shiori) meaning "bookmark" (usually feminine) or 撓 (shiori) meaning "lithe, bending" (usually masculine), as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.

From Chinese 时 (shí) meaning "time, era, season", 实 (shí) meaning "real, honest", 史 (shǐ) meaning "history" or 石 (shí) meaning "stone". Other characters can form this name as well.

Variant of Shavonne.

Variant of Cherilyn.

Anglicized form of Seán. This is the more common spelling in the United Kingdom and Australia, while Shawn is preferred in the United States and Canada (though it got a boost in America after the singer Shaun Cassidy released his debut album in 1976).

Variant of Charla.

From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient" [1]. As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.

Possibly a feminine variant of Shannon.

Variant of Shea.

From Sino-Korean 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with 勛 (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". Other hanja character combinations can form this name as well.

From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.

Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.

From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).

From Sino-Korean 尚 (sang) meaning "still, yet" combined with 勛 (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". Other hanja characters can form this name as well.

Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.

Variant of Sally.

Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.

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

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 亮 or 涼 or 遼 or 諒 (see Ryō).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 涼太 or 亮太 or 良太 (see Ryōta).

Feminine form of Ryan.

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].

Variant of Rosanne.

From the English word royalty, derived (via Old French) from Latin regalitas, a derivative of rex "king".

Diminutive of Rose.

French diminutive of Rose.

Feminine form of Robin. It originated in Scotland in the 17th century.

Feminine form of Robert.

From Japanese 陸 (riku) meaning "land" or different kanji that are pronounced the same way.

From Japanese 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Variant of Rachel or Rochelle, probably influenced by Michelle. In some instances it could be viewed as a feminine form of Richard.

Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).

Variant of Quinn.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 병호 (see Byeong-Ho).

From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.

Diminutive of Petra.

Chiefly Australian feminine form of Peter.

Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland [1].

Variant of Patricia.

Probably an elaboration of Spanish oro "gold". This was the pseudonym of the English poet Katherine Philips (1631-1664).

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

Diminutive of Oliver, Olivia or Olive.

Feminine form of Oceanus. As an English name, this was coined in the early 19th century.

From Japanese 儀 (nori) meaning "ceremony, rites" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

English form of Noëlle.

From Japanese 乃 (no), a possessive particle, and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". This name can also be constructed from other kanji or kanji combinations.

From Sanskrit निशा (niśā) meaning "night".

From Arabic نساء (nisāʾ) meaning "women". This is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa).

Basque form of Nicole, as well as an English variant.

Diminutive of Nicole.

French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).

Teochew Chinese form of E.

Variant of Nina 1, also coinciding with the Spanish word nena meaning "baby girl".

Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.

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

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

Previously a medieval diminutive of Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.

From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and/or 奈 (na), a phonetic character. The characters can be in either order or the same character can be duplicated, as indicated by the symbol 々. Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also be used to form this name.

Originally a diminutive of Ann. It may have originated with the affectionate phrase mine Ann, which was later reinterpreted as my Nan. It is now also used as a short form of Nancy.

From Sino-Korean 明 (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.

Possibly a feminine form of Moses.

From Hebrew מֹרִיָה (Moriya) possibly meaning "seen by Yahweh". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where Abraham is to sacrifice Isaac and the mountain upon which Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.

Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").

Medieval diminutive of Mary, now often used independently. It developed from Malle and Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel Ulysses (1922), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.

From the English word modesty, ultimately from Latin modestus "moderate", a derivative of modus "measure".

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

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

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 羽 (u) meaning "feather". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Sino-Korean 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 淑 (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming", as well as other combinations of hanja characters with the same pronunciations.

From the English word misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.

Diminutive of Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.

From Sino-Korean 敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend". Other hanja combinations are possible.

From Chinese 明 (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 铭 (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

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

Strictly feminine variant of Mickey.

Variant of Michaela.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji can also combine to form this name.

French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).

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

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

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.

Variant of Merle.

From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.

Perhaps a feminine form of Melvin.

From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".

Variant of Melanie.

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

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

From Japanese 恵 (megumi) meaning "favour, benefit" or 愛 (megumi) meaning "love, affection", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same reading. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.

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

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

Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.

Diminutive of Maurice or Maureen.

Variant of Maureen.

Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.

Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. In the United States in 1880 it was given more than twice as often as the next most popular name for girls (Anna). It remained in the top rank in America until 1946 when it was bumped to second (by Linda). Although it regained the top spot for a few more years in the 1950s it was already falling in usage, and has since dropped out of the top 100 names.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of Frankenstein. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.

The Latinized form of this name, Maria, is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta) meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.

The name was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was Martha Washington (1731-1802), the wife of the first American president George Washington. It is also borne by the media personality Martha Stewart (1941-).

Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.

In the medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult this was the name of a king of Cornwall. It was also borne by the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910), real name Samuel Clemens, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He took his pen name from a call used by riverboat workers on the Mississippi River to indicate a depth of two fathoms. This is also the usual English spelling of the name of the 1st-century BC Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony).

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine", 里 (ri) meaning "village" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Many different combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic" or 里 (ri) meaning "village". Many other combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

Diminutive of Margaret.

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

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

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

Diminutive of Marcia.

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 舞 (mai) meaning "dance" combined with 央 (o) meaning "center", 緒 (o) meaning "thread" or 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From an English surname was derived from Old French maleüré meaning "unfortunate" [1]. It first became common in the 1980s due to the American sitcom Family Ties (1982-1989), which featured a character by this name.

From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay melaju or Javanese mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".

From Japanese 誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.

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

Diminutive of Margaret.

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

English form of Madeleine. This is the name of the heroine in a series of children's books by the Austrian-American author Ludwig Bemelmans, first published 1939.

Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.

Variant of Macy.

Variant of Macy.

Elaborated form of Mabel.

Elaborated form of Lynn.

Variant of Lynn.

Perhaps a variant of Lydia.

Possibly a form of Lavinia. It has been used in America since the 19th century.

English poetic variant of Lorelei. William Vincent Wallace used it for the title character, a nymph of the Rhine River, in his opera Lurline (first performed 1860).

Possibly a form of Laura.

Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

Variant of Lucille.

From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl [1]. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.

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

Diminutive of Louis.

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

Diminutive of Laura, Lorraine and other names beginning with Lor. This name rapidly rose in popularity in the United States in the 1950s and 60s, peaking in the 8th spot for girls in 1963.

Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.

Latinized form of Lauren. This name was first brought to public attention in America by the song Lorena (1856), written by Joseph Webster, who was said to have created the name as an anagram of Lenore (from the character in Poe's poem The Raven) [1].

Variant of Lorraine.

Variant of Laura.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Short form of Elizabeth (English), Yelizaveta (Russian), Elisavet (Greek) or Elisabed (Georgian).

Diminutive of Olivia.

Short form of Alicia, Felicia and other names ending with the same sound.

Diminutive of Élisabeth.

Variant of Lindsay.

From Chinese 灵 (líng) meaning "spirit, soul", 铃 (líng) meaning "bell, chime", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.

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

From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.

From Chinese 莲 (lián) meaning "lotus, water lily", 濂 (lián) meaning "waterfall", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.

Variant of Leila, and the usual Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kurdish form.

Diminutive of Alexandra.

Diminutive of Alexandra or Alexis.

Short form of Alexandra or Alexa.

Feminine form of Leon.

Diminutive of Leonard, sometimes a feminine form.

Short form of Alicia, Felicia or Letitia.

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

Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.

Variant of Lavinia.

Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.

Diminutive of Laura.

Elaboration of Lauren.

From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

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

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

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

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

From Japanese 京 (kyō) meaning "capital city" or 恭 (kyō) meaning "respectful, polite" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements ky and la.

Variant of Crystal.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 康介 or 孝介 or 浩介 or 公介 (see Kōsuke).

Means "gold" in Hmong.

From Japanese 琴 (koto), which refers to a type of musical instrument similar to a harp, combined with 音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Diminutive of Keziah. This particular spelling was repopularized in the late 1970s by a character in the book and miniseries Roots (1977).

Diminutive of Kimberly.

Diminutive of names beginning with or containing the sound K.

Variant of Kiara influenced by the spelling of Sierra.

Variant of Ciara 1 or Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie The Lion King II (1998).

Diminutive of Kristina.

Diminutive of Innokentiy.

From the name of the Irish county, called Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "Ciar's people".

Short form of Mackenzie.

Variant of Kayla. It could also be inspired by the name of the town of Keilah from the Old Testament.

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

From Japanese 慧 (kei) meaning "intelligent", 圭 (kei) meaning "gemstone" or 慶 (kei) meaning "celebration". This name can also be formed from other kanji or kanji combinations.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 也 (ya) meaning "to be, also". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 男 (o) meaning "male, man" or 夫 (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Variant of Kaylee.

Possibly from the Scandinavian name Kaia, or simply an invented name based on the sounds found in other names such as Maya.

Diminutive of Kate.

Diminutive of Katherine.

Diminutive of Kassandra.

Diminutive of Kassandra.

Variant of Cassia.

Variant of Cara.

From Japanese 栞 (kan) meaning "bookmark" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Variant of Calista.

Variant of Calla.

Variant of Callie or Kaylee.

From Chinese 凯 (kǎi) meaning "triumph, victory, music of triumph", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.

Variant of Casey.

French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.

From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

From Sino-Korean 俊 (jun) meaning "talented, handsome" combined with 舒 (seo) meaning "open up, unfold, comfortable, easy" or 瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

From Japanese 順 (jun) meaning "obedience" or 純 (jun) meaning "pure" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 정희 (see Jeong-Hui).

From Japanese 淳 (jun) meaning "pure", 潤 (jun) meaning "moisture", 純 (jun) meaning "pure, clean, simple", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Medieval variant of Julian.

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

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

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

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.

Diminutive of Josephine.

Variant of Jocelyn.

Variant of Jolene.

Feminine form of John.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 지영 (see Ji-Yeong).

From Sino-Korean 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or 榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 지우 (see Ji-U).

From Sino-Korean 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with 秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful". Other hanja character combinations are possible.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 지수 (see Ji-Su).

From Chinese 静 (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle", 精 (jīng) meaning "essence, spirit", 晶 (jīng) meaning "clear, crystal" or 京 (jīng) meaning "capital city". Other characters can also form this name.

From Chinese 佳 (jiā) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful", 家 (jiā) meaning "home, family", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Chiefly British diminutive of Jeremy.

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.

Dutch short form of Henriëtte.

Short form of Jesse or Jessica.

From Sino-Korean 靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" or 貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

An invented name, using the phonetic elements jay and la, and sharing a sound with other popular names such as Kayla.

Form of Jasmine in several languages.

Variant of Janine.

Elaborated form of Jane, influenced by Vanessa.

From Sino-Korean 才 (jae) meaning "talent, ability" or 財 (jae) meaning "wealth, riches", as well as other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

Diminutive of Isidore, Isabel, Israel and other names beginning with a similar sound.

Short form of Izabela.

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

Feminine form of Isidore. This was the name of a 4th-century Egyptian saint and hermitess.

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 Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.

This name has traditionally been more popular among Eastern Christians. In the English-speaking world it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

Means "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King David's priest. As an English Christian given name, Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.

Variant of Indie.

Diminutive of Isabel.

From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

From Chinese 煌 (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or 凰 (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.

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

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

From Japanese 大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" and 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or 樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

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

From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi 秀吉 being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.

Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).

From Sino-Korean 昰 (ha) meaning "summer, name" combined with 昀 (yun) meaning "sunlight". Other hanja character combinations are possible.

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

From Japanese 遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.

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.

Variant of Harmony.

From Japanese 半 (han) meaning "half" and 蔵 (zō) meaning "to hide". This name was borne by the noted samurai Hattori Hanzou (1542-1596). The name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).

From Chinese 冠 (guān) meaning "cap, crown, headgear" combined with 宇 (yǔ) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other character combinations are possible.

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

From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.

This name was very popular in the English-speaking world at the end of the 19th century. Though it declined in use over the next 100 years, it staged a successful comeback at the end of the 20th century. The American sitcom Will and Grace (1998-2006) may have helped, though the name was already strongly rising when it premiered. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in 2006.

Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.

The name was introduced to the English-speaking world by E. D. E. N. Southworth's novel Gloria (1891) and George Bernard Shaw's play You Never Can Tell (1898), which both feature characters with a Portuguese background [1]. It was popularized in the early 20th century by American actress Gloria Swanson (1899-1983). Another famous bearer is feminist Gloria Steinem (1934-).

Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Short form of Georgina, Regina, Luigina and other names ending in gina. It can also be used as a diminutive of Virginia or Eugenia. It was popularized in the 1950s by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida (1927-2023), whose birth name was Luigina.

Feminine form of George.

Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).

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.

Variant of Gina.

Feminine form of Galileo.

Variant of Gail. It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".

Variant of Frida 1.

Diminutive of Florence or Flora.

Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.