Chandra_W's Personal Name List

Variant of Zoe.

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

Feminine form of Tristan.

From the English word Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.

Ancient Greek form of Thekla.

From the ancient Greek name Θεόκλεια (Theokleia), which meant "glory of God" from the Greek elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as Θέκλα) in the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.

From the Greek name Θάλεια (Thaleia), derived from θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, presiding over comedy and pastoral poetry. This was also the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).

Variant of Tanisha.

An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.

Latin form of Tabitha.

Feminine form of Stephen.

Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.

Means "born on a Sunday" in Fante.

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

Variant of Sierra or Ciara 2. 96 girls in the USA were named SIARA in 2005.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.

Invented name, based on the sounds found in other names such as Sheila and Kayla.

Possibly a combination of the phonetic element sha and the name Juana. Also compare Shawanda.

Variant of Shania, or simply a combination of the popular phonetic elements sha, ny and ya.

Variant transliteration of שני (see Shani 1).

Means "bloom, flower" in Tswana, derived from thunya "to bloom".

From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin serenus meaning "clear, calm".

From the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie Savannah Smiles (1982).

Indonesian and Malay form of Sa'ida.

Latin form of Ῥωξάνη (Rhoxane), the Greek form of an Old Persian or Bactrian name, from Old Iranian *rauxšnā meaning "bright, shining" [1]. This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel Roxana (1724).

Alternate transcription of Arabic ريحانة (see Rayhana). This name is borne by the Barbadian singer Robyn Rihanna Fenty (1988-), known simply as Rihanna. In the United States it jumped in popularity between the years 2005 and 2008, when Rihanna was releasing her first albums. It quickly declined over the next few years.

Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).

Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lyn.

Means "that to come is greater" in Igbo.

Means "purpose, aim" in Swahili, borrowed from Arabic نيّة (nīya) [1].

The word heaven spelled backwards. It became popular after the musician Sonny Sandoval from the rock group P.O.D. gave it to his daughter in 2000. Over the next few years it rapidly climbed the rankings in America, peaking at the 25th rank for girls in 2010.

Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.

Combination of the phonetic prefix na and the name Keisha.

Variant of Naomi 1.

Alternate transcription of Arabic نائلة (see Naila), as well as an Indonesian and Malay variant.

Variant of Myla.

Possibly a feminine form of Miles, influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kyla.

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.

Russian form of Mia.

From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.

Variant of Michaela.

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.

Modern variant of Miesi.

From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to Mackenzie [1].

Means "flower" in Zulu.

Variant of Maila.

Variant of Mabel.

Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Feminine form of Maximus.

Variant of Maria. It is usually pronounced in a way that reflects an older English pronunciation of Maria. The name was popularized in the early 1990s by the American singer Mariah Carey (1970-).

Derived from Xhosa and Zulu mnandi meaning "sweet" or "nice, pleasant".

Hawaiian form of Maria. This name experienced a spike in popularity in 2009, due to the eldest daughter (born 1998) of the new American president Barack Obama.

Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.

Variant of Michaela.

Latinate form of Magdalene.

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

Variant of Madeline.

From an English surname meaning "son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.

A famous bearer of the surname was James Madison (1751-1836), one of the authors of the American constitution who later served as president (and after whom Madison Avenue was named).

Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.

Variant of Madeline.

Variant of Michaela.

Variant of Lindsay.

Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.

Variant of London.

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

From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Leʾa), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לָאָה (laʾa) meaning "weary, grieved" [1]. Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.

Although this name was used by Jews in the Middle Ages, it was not typical as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans.

means "heavenly sea"

Variant of Lacy.

Modern Greek form of Cybele.

Variant of Kristin.

Combination of Kimberly and Marie.

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).

Popularized by the American singer Kelis Rogers (1979-) in whose case it is a combination of Kenneth and Eveliss, the names of her parents.

Anglicized form of Caitlín.

Variant of Kayleigh or Callie.

Variant of Caitlin.

Variant of Kaylee.

Diminutive of Katarina or Katariina.

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julie and Anne 1.

Variant of Journey.

Variant of Joanna.

Means thankful.

An invented name, a combination of the popular phonetic elements jay and lyn.

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

From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans [1]. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.

An invented name, blending the popular phonetic prefix ja with names like Shania and Aaliyah.

Variant of Janiyah.

An invented name, based on the sound of Aaliyah.

Variant of Jaylynn.

Clearly feminine extended form of Jael.

Elaborated form of Jade. This name came into general use in the 1960s, and was popularized in the 1990s by actress Jada Pinkett Smith (1971-).

Variant of Ayanna. This is a modern name; also compare the similar name Aniyah.

Latinate form of Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called Isabel).

In the United States this form was much less common than Isabel until the early 1990s, when it began rapidly rising in popularity. It reached a peak in 2009 and 2010, when it was the most popular name for girls in America, an astounding rise over only 20 years.

A famous bearer is the Italian actress Isabella Rossellini (1952-).

Possibly a diminutive of India or Indiana, but also likely inspired by the term indie, short for independent, which is typically used to refer to media produced outside of the mainstream.

Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic إيمان (ʾīmān).

Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".

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

Diminutive of Henrietta, Hester and Mehetabel.

Means "sanctity, virtue" in Malagasy.

Diminutive of Harriet.

Danish and Norwegian form of Gyða (see Gytha).

Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.

Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.

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-).

means "to walk in dignity"

Derived from Arabic فطم (faṭama) meaning "to abstain, to wean" [1]. Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the wife of Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.

Arabic alternate transcription of Faiza as well as the usual Malay, Indonesian, and Maranao form.

From the English word essence, which means either "odour, scent" or else "fundamental quality". Ultimately it derives from Latin esse "to be".

From Japanese 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or 絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 加 (ka) meaning "add, increase". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.

Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).

From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.

The popularity of the name Eleanor in England during the Middle Ages was due to the fame of Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as two queens of the following century: Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I. More recently, it was borne by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the wife of American president Franklin Roosevelt.

Variant of Ebere.

From the English word diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin diamas, from Latin adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".

Means simply "destiny, fate" from the English word, ultimately from Latin destinare "to determine", a derivative of stare "to stand". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the last half of the 20th century.

Means "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.

Spanish and Swedish form of Désirée as well as a Dutch and German variant.

Feminine form of Daniel or Dan 1.

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

Elaboration of Chala. Also a variant of Chalice inspired by names having the pattern -ia, such as Julia or Gloria.

Elaboration of Cecilia.

Variant of Cadence.

Variant of Carly.

Variant of Carys.

Variant of Brynlee.

Variant of Brinley.

Variant of Briley.

From the name of a borough of New York City, originally named after the Dutch town of Breukelen, itself meaning either "broken land" (from Dutch breuk) or "marsh land" (from Dutch broek). It can also be viewed as a combination of Brook and the popular name suffix lyn. It is considered a feminine name in the United States, but is more common as a masculine name in the United Kingdom.

From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name Proinnteach, probably from Irish bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from Brunty to Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek βροντή meaning "thunder".

From the name of the region of Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.

As a given name, it first came into common use in America in the early 1970s, reaching the third ranked spot for girls by 1989. This was an extraordinary increase over only two decades, though it has since fallen almost as dramatically as it climbed.

Variant of Briana.

Anglicized diminutive of Bríd.

Variant of Briana. This is currently the more popular spelling of the name.

Feminine form of Brian. It appears in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590). The name was not commonly used until the 1970s, when it rapidly became popular in the United States.

Variant of Briana.

Means "(one that) come(s) with rain" in Yoruba.

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.

From the name of the continent, which is perhaps derived from Akkadian asu, meaning "east".

From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.

From the name of an African people who reside in southern Ghana. It possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language.

From Swahili ishi meaning "live, exist", derived from Arabic عاش (ʿāsha).

French feminine form of Ariel, as well as an English variant.

Italian form of Ariadne.

Variant of Aria 1.

Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.

An invented name, probably based on the sounds found in names such as Anita and Aaliyah.

Variant of Aniyah.

Feminine form of Anis.

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

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.

Meaning unknown, possibly from the Spanish surname Anaya (itself from the name of a Spanish town), used because of its similarity to Amaya [1].

Variant of Amaya.

Apparently a modern coinage based on Latin amor meaning "love".

Possibly derived from the Sanskrit word अमाय (amaya) meaning "free from deceit, guileless". A noted (male) bearer was Amiya Chandra Chakravarty (1901-1986), an Indian literary critic, academic and Bengali poet.

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

Latinization of Amy via the variant Amya.

From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر (ʿanbar) meaning "ambergris". It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel Forever Amber (1944).

Variant of Amaya.

Variant of Amaia.

In America, this name was popularized in 1999 by a contestant on the reality television series The Real World [1].

Means "grace" in Igbo.

Variant of Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.

German feminine form of Aloysius.

Variant of Alyona or Eliana 1 or possibly a combination of Ali 2 and Ana.

Variant of Alexis.

Likely an invented name using the same sounds found in names such as Alicia (or Alysia, Alesia), Alayah, Asia and Malaysia.

Probably a variant of Aaliyah based on names such as Amaya and Anaya.

Feminine form of Alan.

Means "born on Wednesday" in Akan.

Alternate transcription of Arabic عقيلة (see Aqila).

Variant of Asia 1.

Aika is derived from Aikambe/Aikamai meaning thank you the Chagga language spoken by the Chagga people of the Mt. Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania.
In the Chagga language, the gender suffix mbe (m) and mai (f) are used to when thanking someone.

Feminine form of Adrian.

Variant of Adwoa.

Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.

Variant of Adanna used in the United States.

Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.

Variant of Aubriana or a combination of the prefix a and Briana.

Feminine form of Abel.

Feminine form of Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.