Bertie2's Personal Name List

Feminine form of Cyril.

Latinized form of the Greek name Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant "of the lord" (derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.

Feminine form of Cyriacus.

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

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and weard "guard".

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and ric "ruler, king".

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and mære "famous".

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and heard "hard, firm, brave, hardy".

Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and beald "bold, brave".

Form of Criseida used by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his 14th-century epic poem Troilus and Criseyde.

Form of Chryseis used by the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio in his 14th-century poem Il Filostrato. In the poem she is a woman of Troy, daughter of Calchas, who leaves her Trojan lover Troilus for the Greek hero Diomedes. The story was taken up by Chaucer (using the form Criseyde) and Shakespeare (using the form Cressida).

Derived from Romanian crin meaning "lily".

Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).

From an Ojibwe or Cree name recorded as Kiwisance [1], said to mean "little child", possibly related to Ojibwe gwiiwizens meaning "boy" or Cree ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) meaning "child". This was the name of a late 19th-century chief of a mixed band of Plains Cree and Saulteaux people.

Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.

From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοράλλιον (korallion).

Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.

From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).

Feminine form of Constantinus (see Constantine).

Meaning uncertain, possibly from Apache go-chizh "his firewood" or go-chįh "his nose". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Chiricahua Apache.

Contemporary spelling, via the Latinized form Clodovicus, of the Germanic name Hludwig (see Ludwig). Clovis was a Frankish king who united the Franks under his rule in the 5th century. The name was subsequently borne by two further Merovingian kings.

French form of Chrodechildis, the Latin form of a Frankish name composed of the elements hruod "fame, glory" and hilt "battle". Saint Clotilde (whose name was originally recorded in forms such as Chrodechildis or Chrotchildis in Latin sources [1]) was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity. It was also borne by others in the Merovingian royal family. In the Middle Ages this name was confused with Chlodechilda, in which the first element is hlut "famous, loud".

Roman family name of unknown meaning.

Feminine form of Cloelius. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.

Latin form of Clímaco.

Feminine form of Clemens or Clementius (see Clement). In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of mercy and clemency.

From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin claudus meaning "lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius (birth name Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus). He was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in order to bring her son Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power.

This name was later borne by several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Besançon. It is also the name of the primary antagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet (1600).

Feminine form of Claudius. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament. As a Christian name it was very rare until the 16th century.

Masculine Latin form of Clara. This was the name of several early saints.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.

As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form Clare, though the Latinate spelling Clara overtook it in the 19th century and became very popular. It declined through most of the 20th century (being eclipsed by the French form Claire in English-speaking countries), though it has since recovered somewhat.

Means "star" in Nahuatl [1].

Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Ctirad.

Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Čestmír.

Slovene feminine form of Cyril.

Spanish and Hungarian form of Cynthia.

Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda. Like Cynthia, it peaked in popularity in the United States in 1957.

Means "little ashes", in part from the French name Cendrillon. This is the main character in the folktale Cinderella about a maltreated young woman who eventually marries a prince. This old story is best known in the English-speaking world from the French author Charles Perrault's 1697 version. She has other names in other languages, usually with the meaning "ashes", such as German Aschenputtel and Italian Cenerentola.

Means "heavenly, from the sky" in Esperanto, from ĉielo "sky", ultimately derived from Latin caelum.

Feminine form of Ciar. This is another name for Saint Ciar.

Means "God did a greater deed" in Igbo.

Alternate transcription of Greek Χρύσα (see Chrysa).

Patronymic derived from Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.

Feminine form of Chrysanthos.

Latin form of Christopher.

From Christiana, the Latin feminine form of Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.

In the English-speaking world the form Christine was more popular for most of the 20th century, though Christina eventually overtook it. Famous bearers include actress Christina Ricci (1980-) and singer Christina Aguilera (1980-).

French diminutive of Christine.

Combination of Christina and the name suffix bel (inspired by Latin bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem Christabel [1].

Old German form of Lothar.

Old German variant of Lothar.

Means "hope" in Chewa.

Means "good God" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".

Means "God possesses life" in Igbo.

Means "God is nearby" in Igbo.

Means "God is giving" in Igbo.

Means "God is answering" in Igbo.

Means "God created" in Igbo.

Means "God bless" in Igbo.

Means "will, wish" in Chewa.

Means "God did a greater deed" in Igbo.

Variant of Chidimma [1].

Variant of Chidiebere.

Means "God exists" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with Chidi.

Means "God is the king" in Igbo.

Diminutive of Chiara.

Means "God is more beautiful" in Igbo.

Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin cerasium, Greek κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

Alternate transcription of Macedonian Чедомир (see Čedomir).

From Lakota or Dakota čhaské meaning "firstborn son".

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

French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.

This name was fairly common in France, England and the United States in the early 20th century. It became quite popular in France and England at the end of the 20th century, just when it was at a low point in the United States. It quickly climbed the American charts and entered the top ten in 2014.

From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.

Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

Old German (Frankish) variant of Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).

Alternate transcription of Telugu చంద్రశేఖర్, Tamil சந்திரசேகர், Kannada ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖಾರ್ or Odia ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରଶେଖର (see Chandrashekhar).

Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).

Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".

Feminine diminutive of Cesare.

Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".

Old English form of Kenelm.

French form of Cinderella.

Variant of Céline.

Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.

Invented by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name Cerdic, the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. The meaning of Cerdic is uncertain, but it does not appear to be Old English in origin. It could be connected to the Brythonic name Caratācos. The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).

English form of Cecilia. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.

Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.

Due to the popularity of the saint, the name became common in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans brought it to England, where it was commonly spelled Cecily — the Latinate form Cecilia came into use in the 18th century.

Diminutive of Ecaterina.

Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.

Contracted form of Cătălina.

Probably from Latin catulus meaning "young dog, puppy". Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.

Old Welsh form of Cadell.

Medieval French form of Katherine.

Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.

Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine.

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.

Feminine form of Cassius.

Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.

Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.

Corsican form of Charles.

Combination of Carla and Lisa.

Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.

Old Welsh form of Caradog.

Variant of Caradog.

Roman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.

Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).

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.

From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.

Roman cognomen meaning "bald" in Latin.

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

Latin form of Calogero.

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.

Variant of Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).

Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.

Means "violet flower" in Mapuche, from kallfü "purple, blue" and rayen "flower".

Probably invented by the 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who likely based it on califa, the Spanish form of Arabic خليفة (khalīfa), an Islamic title meaning "successor" (see Khalifa). In Montalvo's novel The Adventures of Esplandián it is borne by the queen of the island of California (the inspiration for the name of the American and Mexican states).

Roman variant of Gaius.

Possibly a form of Caitríona.

Welsh form of Kay 2.

Roman family name that was derived from the praenomen Caeso.

Roman family name that was itself derived from the Roman family name Caelius.

Feminine form of Caelinus.

Original Latin masculine form of Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.

Original Latin form of Cecilia.

From the English word for the yellow flower (genus Ranunculus). Author William Goldman used it for Princess Buttercup in his book The Princess Bride (1973) and the subsequent film adaptation (1987).

Variant of Burkhard.

Means "add to wealth" in Yoruba.

From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Old Norse form of Brynjar.

Derived from the Old Norse elements brynja "armour" and herr "army, warrior".

Means "armour" in Old Norse.

Icelandic form of Brynhildr.

Old Norse cognate of Brunhild. In the Norse epic the Völsungasaga Brynhildr was rescued by the hero Sigurd in the guise of Gunnar. Brynhildr and Gunnar were married, but when Sigurd's wife Gudrun let slip that it was in fact Sigurd who had rescued her, Brynhildr plotted against him. She accused Sigurd of taking her virginity, spurring Gunnar to arrange Sigurd's murder.

Means "hill, mound" in Welsh. In Wales it is almost always a masculine name, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it can be unisex (see Brynn).

Derived from Welsh brych meaning "speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.

Old German variant of Brunhild.

Variant of Brunhild, referring to the Frankish queen.

Old Welsh form of Brochfael.

Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by Achilles. After Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.

Form of Briseis used in medieval tales about the Trojan War.

Feminine form of Brin.

Form of Bridget in several languages.

English translation of German Dornröschen. This is the name of the fairy tale character Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm version of the story.

Derived from Welsh briallu meaning "primrose". This is a modern Welsh name.

Short form of Brianna, Gabriella and other names containing bri.

Meaning unknown. It was used by the Slovene author Ivan Pregelj for the title character in his novel Mlada Breda (1913).

Feminine form of Branimir.

Old Norse byname meaning "fire, torch, sword".

Bulgarian form of Božidar, as well as an alternate transcription for Macedonian.

Variant of Abosede.

Short form of Bosede.

Icelandic form of Borghild.

Means "proud" in Oromo.

French and English form of Bonaventura. As a French name it is most common in Francophone Africa, while as an English name it is mostly used in reference to the saint.

Means "find wealth at home" in Yoruba.

Means "joy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".

Means "joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from ipela meaning "to rejoice".

From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.

Original Latin form of Blaise.

Derived from the Old German elements blanc meaning "white" and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.

Old Norse form of Björn.

Means "birch tree" in Icelandic.

Icelandic form of Bjartr (see Bjarte).

Old Norse form of Bjarte.

Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".

Masculine form of Björk.

From Icelandic birki meaning "birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).

From the South Slavic word биље (bilje) meaning "herb".

Means "bashful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the handmaid given to Jacob by his wife Rachel. By him she was the mother of Dan and Naphtali.

Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.

Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603). The German singer Freddy Breck's 1973 song Bianca boosted the name's popularity elsewhere in Europe.

Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi भावना, Kannada ಭಾವನಾ or Malayalam ഭാവന (see Bhavana).

Modern form of Bhaskara.

Southern Indian form of Bharata.

Welsh form of Beatrice.

Frisian and Limburgish short form of Elisabeth.

From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.

Derived from the Old German elements beraht "bright" and hilt "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, an abbess of Chelles in France.

Derived from Slavic bĭrati "to take, to gather" (in an inflected form) and slava "glory".

Old German form of Bernard.

Latinized feminine form of Berengar. This name was borne by a 13th-century queen of Castile.

Old German name derived from the elements bern "bear" and ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.

Means "blessing, abundance, profusion" in Amharic.

Variant of Bernard using the related root bero "bear" as the first element. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Carbio, Italy who was martyred in Morocco.

Old German form of Bertram.

Old German form of Bertram, using an extended form of the second element.

Form of Benedictus (see Benedict) in several languages.

Italian feminine form of Benedict.

Combination of Old French bele "beautiful" and the name Phoebe. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

Meaning unknown.

Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

Short form of Isabella or names ending in belle. It is also associated with the French word belle meaning "beautiful". A famous bearer was Belle Starr (1848-1889), an outlaw of the American west, whose real given name was Maybelle.

Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.

Short form of Isabella and other names ending in bella. It is also associated with the Italian word bella meaning "beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.

The meaning of this name is not known for certain. The first element could be related to Italian bella meaning "beautiful". The second element could be Old German lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (and by extension "snake, serpent"). This name first arose in the 17th century, and was subsequently used by Alexander Pope in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712).

Possibly an elaboration of Belkis. This is the real name of American rapper, songwriter and television personality Cardi B (1992-), born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar to Caribbean immigrants (a Dominican father and a Trinidadian mother).

Means "grow, flourish" in Amharic.

Welsh form of Bedivere.

From the Welsh name Bedwyr, possibly from bedwen "birch" and gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.

Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.

In England the name became rare after the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, more commonly in the spelling Beatrice. Famous bearers include the British author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the creator of Peter Rabbit, and Beatrix of the Netherlands (1938-), the former queen.

Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.

Derived from Latin beatus meaning "blessed". This was the name of a few minor saints.

Derived from Old French baiart meaning "bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.

Derived from Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning "foreign, non-Greek". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.

Means "blessing" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic بركة (baraka).

Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

Means "follow me home" in Yoruba.

Derived from Italian bambina meaning "young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.

Modern Hindi transcription of Baladeva.

Modern transcription of Balarama.

Means "born on Wednesday" in Hausa, derived from Laraba "Wednesday", from Arabic الأربعاء (al-ʾarbiʿāʾ), itself derived from أربعة (ʾarbaʿa) meaning "four".

Means "jaguar" in Mayan (Yucatec Maya báalam; K'iche' Maya balam).

From Sanskrit बाल (bāla) meaning "young" combined with the name of the Hindu god Krishna.

From the Swahili name for the constellation Boötes.

Means "beautiful" in Arabic.

Means "luck, good fortune" in Swahili, ultimately from Persian بخت (bakht).

From Persian بهادر (bahādor), itself from Turkic bagatur meaning "hero, warrior". This was the name of rulers of the Mughal Empire.

Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

Means "father has awakened" in Yoruba.

Means "first born child" in Akan.

Means "shining, brilliant, bright" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Russian cognate of Azalea.

Occitan form of Adelais.

Variant of Azahar. It can also be given in reference to the ruined Moorish city of Medina Azahara in Córdoba, which derives from the related Arabic root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Means "joy has come home" in Yoruba.

From Mapuche ayelen "laughing", ayliñ "clear" or aylen "ember".

From Turkish and Azerbaijani ayaz meaning "frost" or "dry and cold air". This was the name of a slave and later companion of the 11th-century sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.

Means "they are increasing" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

From Sanskrit अयान (ayāna) meaning "not moving, natural disposition" or अयन (ayana) meaning "path, progress".

Means "good luck" in Somali.

Means "fawn" in Cherokee, derived from ᎠᏫ (awi) meaning "deer".

Means "help, support" in Maori.

Created by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli based it on Persian آفتاب (āftāb) meaning "sunshine" and دل (del) meaning "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Aurora.

From a Roman family name that meant "ancestral" in Latin. This was the name of an emperor who briefly reigned over the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It was also the name of several saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Vienne.

Probably a Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin avis "bird".

From Sanskrit अविनाश (avināśa) meaning "indestructible".

Means "cousin" in East Greenlandic.

Ukrainian form of Augustus.

From the Norman French form of the Germanic name Avelina, a diminutive of Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century [1].

Diminutive of Avila.

Russian form of Eudocia.

From the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.

Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.

Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element awi, of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.

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

Feminine form of Aurelius.

Possibly from Latin avulus meaning "little grandfather", though it could be from the Etruscan name Aule, which was possibly derived from avils meaning "years". This was a Roman praenomen, or given name. Folk etymology connects it to Latin aula meaning "palace".

Possibly a Frisian diminutive of Augustinus or Aurelius.

Means "exalted, venerable", derived from Latin augere meaning "to increase". Augustus was the title given to Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was an adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (called August in Polish).

Means "wild condor" in Mapuche, from awka- "wild" and mañke "condor".

Italian form of the Roman family name Atilius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. Marcus Atilius Regulus was a Roman consul and hero of the First Punic War.

Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.

The daughter of Zeus, she was said to have sprung from his head fully grown after he impregnated and swallowed her mother Metis. Athena is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

Medieval Slavic form of Athanasius.

Derived from the Old Norse elements aðal "noble" and steinn "stone".

Derived from the Old Norse elements aðal "noble" and bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".

From Quechua Atawallpa meaning "fortunate hen", from ataw meaning "fortunate, lucky" and wallpa meaning "hen". This was the name of the last sovereign Inca emperor. He was executed by the Spanish in 1533.

From the Old Norse elements áss "god" and valdr "ruler" (a cognate of Oswald).

Icelandic form of Ástríðr.

Icelandic form of Åsmund.

From the Old Norse name Ásmundr, derived from the elements áss "god" and mundr "protection" (a cognate of Osmond).

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Aslaug.

From the name of an Islamic holy day that commemorates the death of Husayn ibn Ali. It is so named because it falls on the tenth day of Muharram, deriving from Arabic عشرة (ʿashara) meaning "ten" [1].

From the Old Norse name Ásgeirr, derived from the elements áss meaning "god" and geirr meaning "spear". It is a cognate of Ansgar.

From an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form आर्य and the feminine form आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.

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

The name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.

Old Welsh form of Armel.

Ukrainian form of Artemios. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Артём (see Artyom).

Icelandic form of Andor 1.

Icelandic variant form of Andor 1.

Old German form of Arnfried.

Old Norse name derived from the elements ǫrn meaning "eagle" and bjǫrg meaning "help, save, rescue".

Derived from the Old Norse elements ǫrn "eagle" and herr "army, warrior" [1].

Means "woman" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.

Probably created by the 16th-century Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580). In the poem Armida is a beautiful enchantress who bewitches many of the crusaders.

Short form of names beginning with the Old German element arn meaning "eagle".

Means "ear of grain" in Latin. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.

Means "learned, knowing, expert" in Arabic.

Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

French form of Ariadne.

Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.

Old Norse byname meaning "eagle".

Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi आरती (see Aarti).

Means "young ptarmigan" in Greenlandic (a ptarmigan is a type of bird that lives in cold regions) [1].

From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.

This was a Roman praenomen, or given name, used predominantly by the Claudia family. Its etymology is unknown. A famous bearer of this name was Appius Claudius Caecus, a Roman statesman of the 3rd century BC. He was responsible for the Aqua Appia (the first Roman aqueduct) and the Appian Way (a road between Rome and Capua), both of which were named for him.

Greek form of a Hebrew name that possibly meant "increasing". This is a name mentioned in Paul's epistle to Philemon in the New Testament.

Russian feminine form of Apollinaris.

Hawaiian form of Abigail.

Means "leafless" in Sanskrit, from the negative prefix अ (a) and पर्ण (parṇa) meaning "leaf". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati, given because she would not eat even leaves while practicing austerity.

Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, blessed".

From the name of a constellation in Hindu astrology, meaning "causing success", from Sanskrit अनु (anu) meaning "after" and राधा (rādhā) meaning "success, prosperity".

Possibly from the Old Norse elements *anu "ancestor" and *vindr "victor".

Means "joy" in Igbo.

Feminine form of Anuj.

Esperanto form of Antonius (see Anthony).

Latin form of Anthony. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Anton or Antoon in daily life.

Feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).

Form of Antonius (see Anthony) used in various languages. A notable bearer was the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904).

Means "eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".

From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with helm meaning "helmet, protection". Saint Anthelm was a 12th-century bishop of Belley in France.

From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

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 the Old German elements ansi "god" and helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.

Means "helpers" in Arabic, referring to those who helped the Prophet Muhammad when he came to Medina.

Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi अनूप, Bengali অনুপ or Malayalam അനൂപ് (see Anup).

Medieval English variant of Honora.

Swedish diminutive of Anna.

Combination of Anne 1 and Liese.

Short form of names beginning with the Old German element arn meaning "eagle".

Combination of Anna and Chiara.

Variant of Amabel, with the spelling altered as if it were a combination of Anna and French belle "beautiful". This name appears to have arisen in Scotland in the Middle Ages.

Form of Hannah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the Hannah spelling instead of Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin Mary.

In England, this Latin form has been used alongside the vernacular forms Ann and Anne since the late Middle Ages. Anna is currently the most common of these spellings in all English-speaking countries (since the 1970s), however the biblical form Hannah is presently more popular than all three.

The name was borne by several Russian royals, including an 18th-century empress of Russia. It is also the name of the main character in Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina (1877), about a married aristocrat who begins an ultimately tragic relationship with Count Vronsky.

From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".

Feminine form of Anit.

Means "thunder, thunderer" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of the thunderbird, an immense flying creature that makes thunder with its flapping wings.

Means "minuteness" from Sanskrit अणिमन (aṇiman). In yoga texts, this is the name of the ability to make oneself infinitely small so to be invisible.

From Sanskrit अनिकेत (aniketa) meaning "homeless".

Feminine form of Anik.

Polish form of Angela.

Slovene, Croatian and Serbian diminutive of Anna.

Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Angelina.

From an Old Welsh name recorded in various forms such as Acgarat and Ancarat. It means "much loved", from the intensive prefix an- combined with a mutated form of caru "to love". In the medieval Welsh romance Peredur son of Efrawg, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of the knight Peredur.

French diminutive of Angela.

Latinate diminutive of Angela. A famous bearer is American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-).

Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Анелия (see Aneliya).

Old Welsh name, possibly from the Latin name Honorius [1]. This was the name of a 6th-century Brythonic poet, also known as Neirin or Aneurin [2], who is said to be the author of the poem Y Gododdin.

Variant of Anne 2.

Spanish and Icelandic form of Andrew.

Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew. It is also the form used in Modern Greek, German and Welsh.

Feminine form of Andrew. As an English name, it has been used since the 17th century, though it was not common until the 20th century.

From the Old Norse name Arnþórr, derived from the element ǫrn "eagle" combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).

Meaning unknown. This was the name of a saint who was martyred in southern Gaul (at the town now known as Bourg-Saint-Andéol) in 3rd century.

From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with beraht meaning "bright".

Esperanto diminutive of Anthony.

Alternate transcription of Russian Анатолий or Ukrainian Анатолій (see Anatoliy), as well as the Georgian form.

Meaning unknown, of Pintupi origin.

Feminine form of Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.

Southern Indian form of Ananta.

Means "star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from anang "star" and ikwe "woman".

Feminine form of Anand.

Means "fourth born child" in Akan.

Hawaiian form of Anthony.

Means "angel" in Maori.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).

Derived from the Old Norse name Agmundr, from the element egg "edge of a sword" or agi "awe, fear" combined with mundr "protection".

Feminine form of Amrit.

Means "immortal" from Sanskrit अ (a) meaning "not" and मृत (mṛta) meaning "dead". In Hindu texts it refers to a drink that gives immortality.

Meaning unknown. It is attested from the 12th century in the Latin form Amphelisia and the vernacular form Anflis.

Means "safety" in Arabic, derived from أمن (ʾamina) meaning "to be safe".

From Sanskrit अमिताभ (amitābha) meaning "immeasurable splendour". A famous bearer is Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan (1942-).

Meaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of Prometheus from Greek mythology.

Alternate transcription of Arabic أميرة (see Amira 1), as well as the usual Malay form.

Feminine form of Amir 1.

Feminine form of Amir 2.

Means "commander, prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword emir.

Medieval name derived from Latin amicus meaning "friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.

Means "spring, fountain" in Nahuatl [1].

Means "large, great" in Tamazight.

Old German form of Emmeline.

Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

This name experienced a rise in popularity at the end of the 20th century. It was the most popular name for girls in England and Wales from 2011 to 2015.

Bosnian feminine form of Amal 1.

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.

Means "wolf" in Inuktitut.

Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).

Means "God's grace" in Igbo.

Means "grace" in Igbo.

From Sanskrit अमर (amara) meaning "immortal".

Derived from Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Saint Amandus was a 5th-century bishop of Bordeaux. It was also borne by a 7th-century French saint who evangelized in Flanders.

In part this is a feminine form of Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.

Old German form of Amalric.

Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element amal. This element means "unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).

This was another name for the 7th-century saint Amalberga of Maubeuge.

Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".

Short form of Chiamaka.

Means "the end" in Basque. This is the name of a character in the historical novel Amaya, or the Basques in the 8th century (1879) by Francisco Navarro-Villoslada (Amaya in the Spanish original; Amaia in the Basque translation).

Probably an Old Spanish form of Amadeus. In a medieval tale Amadis of Gaul was a heroic knight-errant and the lover of Oriana. The earliest extant version of the story, Amadís de Gaula, was written by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo in 1508.

Means "freeborn man" in Igbo.

Possibly means "seemed destined to die at birth" in Yoruba.

Means "love of God", derived from Latin amare "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.

Late Roman and German feminine form of Amadeus, Italian and Galician feminine form of Amadeo, Sicilian feminine form of Amadeu, Hungarian and Polish feminine form of Amadeusz and Slovene variant of Amadeja.

Late Latin name meaning "lovable". Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom, central France.

Feminine form of Amabilis.

Medieval feminine form of Amabilis.

Means "born on Saturday" in Akan.

Diminutive of Aleksey.

Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.

Latinized form of Alfhild. This was the name of a legendary female Scandinavian pirate, also called Awilda.

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

Derived from Arabic العذراء (al-ʿadhrāʾ) meaning "the maiden". This is the name of a star in the constellation Canis Major.

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

Meaning unknown, possibly a variant of Alphaeus, or possibly from an Umbrian root meaning "white". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Sicily.

Middle English form of Ælfheah.

German feminine form of Aloysius.

Variant of Elmira 1. Handel used it for the title character in his opera Almira (1705).

Diminutive of Alma 1.

Slovene, Croatian and Serbian form of Alyosha. In Slovene it can also be a feminine name.

Form of Alice used in several languages.

Means "he or she is with us" in Chewa.

Short form of Adelina, Albina and names that end in alina.

Occitan form of Eleanor.

From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.

This name was borne by the heroine of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871).

Slovak form of Alice.

Corsican form of Albert.

Means "the charitable, the good" in Hausa, from Arabic خير (khayr).

Means "elf spear" from Old English ælf "elf" and gar "spear". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, being absorbed by similar-sounding names and Norman and Scandinavian cognates. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

Old Norse form of Alfhild.

Old Norse form of Alvar.

Possibly a variant of Valentina.

Short form of Magdalena or Helena. This was the name of a saint, possibly legendary, who was martyred near Brussels in the 7th century.

Esperanto diminutive of Alexander.

Medieval variant of Aldous.

From a Germanic name, derived from the elements alt "old" and rih "ruler, king". Saint Aldric was a 9th-century bishop of Le Mans.

Middle English form of Ealdgyð.

Derived from the Old German elements alt "old" and ger "spear".

Old German name derived from the elements alt meaning "old" and brant meaning "fire, torch, sword". Saint Aldebrand was a 12th-century bishop of Fossombrone in Italy.

Means "wave" in Icelandic.

Means "second child after twins" in Yoruba.

Means "born on Wednesday" in Akan.

Bulgarian form of Xenia, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Аксинья (see Aksinya).

From Sanskrit अक्षय (akṣaya) meaning "undecaying, imperishable".

Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.

Means "greater, greatest" in Arabic, a derivative of كبير (kabīr) meaning "great, big". This was the name of a 16th-century Mughal ruler who expanded the empire to include most of India.

Probably a variant of Heimirich. Aimeric (or Aimery) was the name of several viscounts of Narbonne between the 11th and 13th centuries. It was also borne by the first king of Cyprus (12th century), originally from Poitou, France.

Variant of Ayda. This name was used in Verdi's opera Aida (1871), where it belongs to an Ethiopian princess held captive in Egypt.

Means "he throws away the drum" from Cherokee ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.

Variant of Ahmad. This was the name of three Ottoman sultans.