aquaspirit96's Personal Name List

Meaning uncertain, possibly of Arabic origin. According to medieval tradition, notably related by the 15th-century Persian poet Jami, this was the name of the biblical Potiphar's wife. She has been a frequent subject of poems and tales.

Possibly a feminine form of Zelig.

Variant of Xavier.

From Japanese 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Alternatively, it can come from 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with 喜 (ki) meaning "joy" or 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽子 or 洋子 (see Yōko).

From Chinese 宜 (yí) meaning "suitable, proper", 毅 (yì) meaning "resolute, decisive, firm", 义 (yì) meaning "justice, righteousness", 益 (yì) meaning "profit, benefit", 怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony" (which is usually only feminine) or 仪 (yí) meaning "ceremony, rites" (also usually feminine). Other characters can also form this name.

Hebrew form of Jael.

Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.

From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.

Diminutive of Walter or Wallace.

From Japanese 和 (wa) meaning "harmony, peace" and 奏 (kana) meaning "play music, complete", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.

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.

From the Roman name Vincentius, which was derived from Latin vincere meaning "to conquer". This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name, Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).

Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.

Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa [1]. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.

Variant of Ushas. According to the Hindu text the Bhagavata Purana this was the name of a daughter of the demon king Bana who married Aniruddha, the grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna.

From the Old German name Odalric, derived from the element uodil "heritage" combined with rih "ruler, king". This was the name of two German saints. Another famous bearer was Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), also known as Huldrych, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.

From Sino-Vietnamese 雪 (tuyết) meaning "snow".

Means "tulle moon" in Turkish.

Short form of Patricia.

Variant of Tricia.

Means "thunderous", from Esperanto tondro meaning "thunder".

Short form of Thomas. Tom Sawyer is the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-), as well as American football player Tom Brady (1977-).

Medieval form of Theophania. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.

Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

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).

From the English word meaning "storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611).

Diminutive of Edward or Theodore.

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

From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".

Its modern use as a feminine name may have been influenced by the British-American author Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985). Since 1990 it has been more popular for girls in the United States. Other England-speaking regions have followed suit, with the exception of England and Wales where it is still slightly more popular for boys. Its popularity peaked in America the mid-1990s for both genders, ranked sixth for girls and 51st for boys. A famous bearer is the American musician Taylor Swift (1989-).

Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phoenician goddess of love, fertility, the moon and the stars. She was particularly associated with the city of Carthage, being the consort of Ba'al Hammon.

From Japanese 多 (ta) meaning "many", 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Probably a blend of Tamara and Pamela. It first arose in the 1950s.

Means "dew from God" in Hebrew, from טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.

From Japanese 宝 (takara) meaning "treasure, jewel", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

From Japanese 孝 (taka) meaning "filial piety" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.

Simply from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek σύμφωνος (symphonos) meaning "concordant in sound".

Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 성 (see Seong).

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.

From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".

From an English surname meaning "stone clearing" (Old English stan "stone" and leah "woodland, clearing"). A notable bearer of the surname was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), the man who found David Livingstone in Africa. As a given name, it was borne by American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), as well as the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947).

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

Irish form of Jeannette.

From the Old Norse name Sigurðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and vǫrðr "guard, guardian". Sigurd was the hero of the Norse epic the Völsungasaga, which tells how his foster father Regin sent him to recover a hoard of gold guarded by the dragon Fafnir. After slaying the dragon Sigurd tasted some of its blood, enabling him to understand the language of birds, who told him that Regin was planning to betray him. In a later adventure, Sigurd disguised himself as Gunnar (his wife Gudrun's brother) and rescued the maiden Brynhildr from a ring of fire, with the result that Gunnar and Brynhildr were married. When the truth eventually came out, Brynhildr took revenge upon Sigurd. The stories of the German hero Siegfried were in part based on him.

German and French form of Sibyl.

Variant of Sherry.

Means "I have asked of God" in Hebrew, from the roots שָׁאַל (shaʾal) meaning "to ask" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". According to the Old Testament this was the name of the father of Zerubbabel. It was also borne by a son of King Jeconiah of Judah (he is called Salathiel in some translations).

Traditional name for the moon, it literally means "having a hare" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form शशि and the feminine form शशी (spelled with a long final vowel).

Means "pacified, calm" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana this is the name of a princess of Anga who marries Rishyasringa.

Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.

Persian form of Avestan 𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬚𐬭𐬀⸱𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (Xshathra Vairiia) meaning "desirable power". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with the creation of metals. The sixth month of the Iranian calendar is named for him.

Feminine form of Severinus.

From Japanese 節 (setsu) meaning "section, period, verse, melody" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also be possible.

Variant of Serena.

Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.

Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.

From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.

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

From Japanese 里 (sato) meaning "village" or 聡 (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.

Feminine form of Santo.

French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Salome.

From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

Probably from Hidatsa tsakáka wía meaning "bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.

Latinized form of Habren, the original Welsh name of the River Severn. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sabrina was the name of a princess who was drowned in the Severn. Supposedly the river was named for her, but it is more likely that her name was actually derived from that of the river, which is of unknown meaning. She appears as a water nymph in John Milton's masque Comus (1634).

The name was brought to public attention by Samuel A. Taylor's play Sabrina Fair (1953) and the movie adaptation Sabrina that followed it the next year. This is also the name of a comic book character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, first introduced 1962 and with television adaptations in 1970-1974 and 1996-2003, both causing minor jumps in popularity. Another jump occurred in 1976, when it was used for a main character on the television series Charlie's Angels.

From the English word meaning "black", derived from the name of the black-furred mammal native to northern Asia, ultimately of Slavic origin.

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

Short form of Isabella.

Derived either from Arabic رقيّ (ruqīy) meaning "rise, ascent" or from رقية (ruqya) meaning "spell, charm, incantation". Both of these words are derived from the Arabic root رقي (raqiya) meaning "to rise" [1]. This was the name of one of the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad. She became a wife of Uthman, the third caliph of the Muslims. The name was also borne by daughters of Ali and Husayn.

From Esperanto rubeno meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".

Means "rosy-beautiful" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin rosa "rose" and bella "beautiful".

Anglicized form of Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). It is often associated with French roi "king".

Variant of Roxane.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

Derived from the Old German elements hruod "fame" and swind "strong". This was the name of a 10th-century nun from Saxony who wrote several notable poems and dramas.

Variant of Rosalyn.

Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.

Variant of Rosaline. It can also be considered an elaboration of Rose with the common name suffix lyn.

Italian name meaning "white rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).

Derived from Old Irish rígain meaning "queen". According to some sources, this was the name of a wife of the semi-legendary Irish king Niall of the Nine Hostages.

From Japanese 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 里 (ri) meaning "village" combined with 央 (o) meaning "center", 緒 (o) meaning "thread" or 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Means "joy, singing" in Hebrew.

From Japanese 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 里 (ri) meaning "village" combined with 奈 (na), a phonetic character, or 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Variant and feminine form of Ricky.

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

Variant of Rhiannon.

German, Dutch and Norwegian feminine form of Renatus.

Hungarian, Czech and Slovak feminine form of Renatus.

Means "rule" in Latin. This was the name of a 3rd-century Swiss martyr, the patron saint of Zurich.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Rachel.

Means "hope" in Arabic, from the root رجا (rajā) meaning "to hope, to anticipate".

Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.

From Japanese 雷 (rai) meaning "thunder" and 神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the god (or gods) of thunder and storms in the mythology of Japan.

From Japanese 雷 (rai) meaning "thunder" and 電 (den) meaning "lightning". This is a regional epithet of the Japanese god Raijin.

Form of Raphael in various languages. A famous bearer is the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (1986-).

Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lyn.

Means "the soul", derived from Greek ψύχω (psycho) meaning "to breathe". The Greeks thought that the breath was the soul. In Greek mythology Psyche was a beautiful maiden who was beloved by Eros (or Cupid in Roman mythology). She is the subject of Keats's poem Ode to Psyche (1819).

Roman name, a diminutive of Prisca. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lived with Priscilla (also known as Prisca) and her husband Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his 1858 poem The Courtship of Miles Standish [1].

From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.

Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.

In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It was moderately common in the 19th century. It began to rise in popularity again in the late 1980s, probably helped along by characters on the American television shows Friends (1994-2004) and Charmed (1998-2006). It is currently much more common in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand than the United States.

A moon of Saturn bears this name, in honour of the Titan.

From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.

Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of Pamela.

Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.

From an English surname that was derived from the name of a Norman town Perci, which was itself perhaps derived from a Gaulish given name that was Latinized as Persius. The surname was borne by a noble English family, and it first used as a given name in their honour. A famous bearer was Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), an English romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias. This name can also be used as a short form of Percival.

Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.

It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century. It was moderately popular in the 1940s, but had a more notable upswing in the early 2000s. This may have been inspired by the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz (1974-), who gained prominence in English-language movies at that time. It was already rapidly rising when celebrities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their baby daughter in 2012.

Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin". This was the name of one of the mares of Marmax in Greek mythology.

Means "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman. Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.

This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.

Probably derived from a Greek word meaning "maiden, young woman". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena. According to some legends it was originally the name of a friend of the goddess. Athena accidentally killed her while sparring, so she took the name in honour of her friend.

Elaborated form of Opal. This is also an English and French word meaning "resembling an opal".

French form of Odilia.

French diminutive of Oda or Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Means "light" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic نور (nūr).

From Chinese 宁 (níng) meaning "peaceful, calm, serene", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.

Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.

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.

Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.

Welsh form of Neptune.

From Egyptian nfrt-jjtj meaning "the beautiful one has come" [1]. Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (14th century BC), the principal wife of Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god Aton.

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

Means "the heavens" or "the chiefs" from Hawaiian nā, a definite article, and lani "heaven, sky, chief".

Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century [1]. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-) [2].

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 명 (see Myeong).

Used in the 1995 movie Braveheart for William Wallace's wife, who is murdered early in the film. In reality, Wallace may have been married to a woman named Marion.

Means "born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.

From Old Cornish moroin meaning "maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word morwyn [1]). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Variant of Morrígan.

Means either "demon queen" or "great queen", derived from Old Irish mor "demon, evil spirit" or mór "great, big" combined with rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.

Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.

French form of Monica.

From Japanese 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From an English surname, itself derived from the given name Michael or in some cases from Middle English michel meaning "big, large".

Diminutive of Maria and other names beginning with M.

Diminutive of Emilie, Mildred and other names containing the same sound.

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

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be comprised of other combinations of kanji.

Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.

Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.

Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.

From Chinese 美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or 梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera).

From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).

French variant form of Matthew.

From Japanese 益 (masu) meaning "profit, benefit" and 世 (yo) meaning "world". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Means "blessings" in Tswana, from sego "blessed".

Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

Italian and Spanish form of Marius. Famous bearers include American racecar driver Mario Andretti (1940-) and Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux (1965-). It is also borne by a Nintendo video game character, a moustached Italian plumber, who debuted as the playable hero of Donkey Kong in 1981. Spelled マリオ (Mario) in Japanese Katakana, he was reportedly named after Mario Segale (1934-2018), an American businessman who rented a warehouse to Nintendo.

Either a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Miranda.

Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Diminutive of Marcia.

Hungarian variant of Mária, and a Croatian and Serbian variant of Marija.

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

Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".

Scottish Gaelic form of Maria (see Mary). The form Moire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.

Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.

From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

Probably from Latin maior meaning "greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess Maia. The month of May is named for her.

Estonian and Basque form of Maria.

From Sino-Vietnamese 梅 (mai) meaning "plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).

From a title meaning "of Magdala". Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered Madeline, while Magdalene or Magdalen is the learned form.

Latinate form of Magdalene.

Possibly from Old Cornish mab meaning "son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.

Means "luxurious" in Esperanto.

Italian form of Louis. It has been borne by five prime ministers of Italy since the 19th century. This is also the name of Mario's brother in Nintendo video games (debuting 1983), called ルイージ (Ruīji) in Japanese.

Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.

As a Russian name, this is an alternate transcription of Людмила (usually rendered Lyudmila).

English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.

Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.

Short form of names ending in lita. This name was brought to the public eye in the 1920s due to Lita Grey (1908-1995), who was the second wife of Charlie Chaplin. Her birth name was Lillita Louise MacMurray.

Diminutive of Linda and other names beginning with Lin.

From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).

English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.

Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.

Galician form of Leah.

From Chinese 理 (lǐ) meaning "reason, logic", 立 (lì) meaning "stand, establish", 黎 (lí) meaning "black, dawn", 力 (lì) meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or 丽 (lì) meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.

Means "love" in Sotho.

Feminine form of Leon.

Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.

In some cases this name can be a short form of longer names that start with Leo, such as Leonard.

Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shonda. It can be spelled LaShonda or Lashonda.

Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.

Slovak form of Květa.

Scandinavian form of Christina.

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.

Variant of Corinne.

Variant of Corbin.

From Japanese 琥珀 (kohaku) meaning "amber".

Means "spinner" in Greek. In Greek mythology Klotho was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai). She was responsible for spinning the thread of life.

From Japanese 清 (kiyo) meaning "clear, pure, clean" or 聖 (kiyo) meaning "holy" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.

Russian feminine form of Cyrus.

From Sino-Vietnamese 金 (kim) meaning "gold, metal".

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 吉郎 (see Kichirō).

Feminine variant of Kerry.

Feminine form of Ken 1 or Kendrick.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

Variant of Catriona.

Hungarian and Basque form of Katherine.

Diminutive of Katherine.

From Japanese 霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with 澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Variant of Cara.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Catháin, derived from the given name Cathán.

Means "love, desire" in Sanskrit. Kama is the Hindu god of love and pleasure, typically depicted as a young man armed with a bow and riding on the back of a giant parrot. His wife is Rati.

Derived from Greek κάλλιστος (kallistos) meaning "most beautiful", a derivative of καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful". In Greek mythology Kallisto was a nymph who was loved by Zeus. She was changed into a she-bear by Hera, and subsequently became the Great Bear constellation. This was also an ancient Greek personal name.

Means "sea" in Hawaiian.

Means "youth" in Latin. Juventas was the Roman goddess of youth, equivalent to the Greek goddess Hebe.

From Esperanto juvelo meaning "jewel".

Means "divine warrior", from Japanese 神 (jin) meaning "god" and 武 (mu) meaning "military, martial". In Japanese legend this was the name of the founder of Japan and the first emperor, supposedly ruling in the 7th century BC.

Variant of Gillian.

From the name of a city in Israel that is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain, but it may be related to the Hebrew word יָרֵחַ (yareaḥ) meaning "moon" [1], or otherwise to the Hebrew word רֵיחַ (reyaḥ) meaning "fragrance" [2].

From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the American actresses Jennifer Aniston (1969-), Jennifer Garner (1972-) and Jennifer Lawrence (1990-), as well as the singer/actress Jennifer Lopez (1969-).

Variant of Jenny. Use of the name was popularized in the 1980s by the character Jenna Wade on the television series Dallas [1].

Means "beloved of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from יָדִיד (yaḏiḏ) meaning "beloved, friend" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is a name given to Solomon by Nathan.

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

From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.

This name also appears in the New Testament, belonging to man who sheltered Paul and Silas. In his case, it may represent a Hellenized form of a Hebrew name. It was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation.

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.

Variant of Jaden.

An invented name, using the popular den suffix sound found in such names as Braden, Hayden and Aidan. This name first became common in America in the 1990s when similar-sounding names were increasing in popularity. The spelling Jayden has been more popular since 2003. It is sometimes considered a variant of the biblical name Jadon.

From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.

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-).

From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.

Probably means "female who invites" in Japanese, from 誘 (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology she was a creator goddess, the wife of Izanagi. She died giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the god of fire.

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

Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.

From the Semitic root ʿṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. Her name in Akkadian cuneiform 𒀭𒈹 was the same as the Sumerian cuneiform for Inanna.

Anglicized form of Iseabail.

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 "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.

Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.

Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.

Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.

Inanna was later conflated with the Semitic (Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian) deity Ishtar.

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

From Sino-Korean 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or other characters that are pronounced in the same way. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character. A notable bearer was a 6th-century king of Baekje.

From Sino-Vietnamese 慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 蕙 (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".

From Japanese 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly".

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.

Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.

Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).

Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.

This was also used as a personal name, being borne for example by a 1st-century saint and martyr.

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

From the English vocabulary word meaning "paradise". It is derived via Middle English hevene from Old English heofon "sky".

From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning either "hay valley" or "hay hill", derived from Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley" or dun "hill". Its popularity at the end of the 20th century was due to the sound it shared with other trendy names of the time, such as Braden and Aidan.

From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.

Greek form of Egyptian ḥwt-ḥrw (reconstructed as Hut-Heru) meaning "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian ḥwt "house" combined with the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.

Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.

Variant of Hayley. This spelling gained some popularity in the United States in 1977, possibly due to the author Alex Haley, whose book Roots was adapted into a popular miniseries that year. This was the most common American spelling from then to 2001, when it was eclipsed by Hailey.

Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.

Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.

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

Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle [1]. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin [2]. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey [3].

This name was not regularly given to people until the 19th century [4][3]. It was used by George Eliot for a character in her novel Daniel Deronda (1876).

From the Old Norse name Guðrún meaning "god's secret lore", derived from the elements guð "god" and rún "secret lore, rune". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the Eddas and the Völsungasaga. She is called Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic Kudrun.

Possibly derived from the Old German elements gris "grey" and hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in The Decameron) and Chaucer (in The Canterbury Tales).

Means "grace" in Latin.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 五郎 (see Gorō).

Derived from Old Irish gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king Brian Boru.

Variant of Gail or Gale 2.

Short form of Abigail.

French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).

From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.

This name has been used occasionally in England since the 12th century. It was not common in the English-speaking world until the end of the 20th century.

Derived from Old English froda meaning "wise". This is the name of the hobbit hero in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, who used Old English to translate some hobbit names (Frodo's true hobbit-language name is Maura). In the novel Frodo Baggins is the bearer of the One Ring on the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.

From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.

This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.

From the English word fawn for a young deer.

From the Greek Εὐρυδίκη (Eurydike) meaning "wide justice", derived from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.

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

Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.

Feminine form of Esmé.

Means "strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of Ares.

Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.

Means "lady of the great earth", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.

Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.

German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).

Short form of Elisabeth.

Means "diamond" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.

Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.

Short form of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.

Feminine form of Dragan.

Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.

Variant of Desiree.

Usual English, German and Dutch form of Denis.

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

From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Airelle, originally denoting one who came from Airelle in France. As a given name it was moderately popular from the 1930s to the 1970s, but it dropped off the American top 1000 rankings in 2018.

From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.

Variant of Darian.

Variant of Danica.

Variant of Simone 1.

Form of Cunobelinus used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).

From an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".

Originally more common as a name for boys in America, it became more popular for girls in the 1960s. It began rapidly increasing after 1973, possibly due to a character (played by Natalie Wood) in the television movie The Affair. It reached an apex in the United States ranked 17th in 1990, though it has quickly fallen away since then.

From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles [1] of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.

The spelling was later altered to Cordelia when Geoffrey's story was adapted by others, including Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590) and Shakespeare in his tragedy King Lear (1606).

From the Greek name Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.

French diminutive of Claude.

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.

From Chinese 晨 (chén) or 辰 (chén), both meaning "morning". The character 辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.

Variant of Chelsea.

From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Derived from the Indo-European root *ker- meaning "grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

English form of Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.

French feminine and masculine form of Caelestis.

Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles.

Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.

Diminutive of Berenice.

Feminine variant of Bryn. It was brought to limited public attention in 1978 when the actress Brynn Thayer (1949-) began appearing on the American soap opera One Life to Live [1].

Variant of Bridget.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.

Meaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish brií) or the related *brigā "might, power" (Old Irish briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.

Means "white raven" from Old Welsh bran "raven" and gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi [1] she was the daughter of Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.

Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.

Short form of William. This spelling was not commonly used before the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-), all of whom were born with the name William.

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

Anglicized form of Bébinn.

From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.

Possibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English beo "bee" and wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem Beowulf. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beowulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.

French form of Benedict.

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

Modern form of Bébinn.

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.

Elaborated form of Turkish or Azerbaijani ay meaning "moon".

Derived from the Turkic element ay meaning "moon" combined with Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose". In some languages this is also a name for a variety of flowering plant that grows in central Asia (species Fritillaria eduardii).

From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour" or 綾 (aya) meaning "design" combined with 乃 (no), a possessive particle. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design" or 絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with 音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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

Variant of Aubrey.

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.

Means "crown" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Atarah is a minor character, the wife of Jerahmeel.

Combination of Ashley and the popular name suffix lyn.

Feminine variant of Ashley.

Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.

The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.

Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been based on a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (perhaps briefly in the 7th-century poem Y Gododdin and more definitively and extensively in the 9th-century History of the Britons [1]). However, his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth [2]. His tales were later taken up and expanded by French and English writers.

The name came into general use in England in the Middle Ages due to the prevalence of Arthurian romances, and it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 19th century. Famous bearers include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), mystery author and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), and science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008).

Variant of Ariane.

From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.

Variant of Aoife, or directly from Irish aoibh meaning "beauty".

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

Diminutive of Antonia.

English form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606).

The name became regularly used in the Christian world due to the fame of Saint Anthony the Great, a 4th-century Egyptian hermit who founded Christian monasticism. Its popularity was reinforced in the Middle Ages by the 13th-century Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of Portugal. It has been commonly (but incorrectly) associated with Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower", which resulted in the addition of the h to this spelling in the 17th century.

Combination of Anne 1 and Grete.

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.

Possibly from Latin angor "strangulation, torment" or angustus "narrow, constricted". Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.

From the name of the anemone flower, which is derived from Greek ἄνεμος (anemos) meaning "wind".

Variant of Anastasia.

Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Anne 1 or Agnès. It was used in Jean-Henri Guy's opera Anacréon chez Polycrate (1798), where it is borne by the daughter (otherwise unnamed in history) of the 6th-century BC tyrant Polycrates of Samos. Guy could have adapted it from a classical name such as Anaitis or Athénaïs.

A famous bearer was the Cuban-French writer Anaïs Nin (1903-1977), known for her diaries.

Means "exalted nation" in Hebrew, from עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation" and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Amram is the father of Moses.

Variant of Amy.

From Japanese 亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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).

Means "shining over heaven", from Japanese 天 (ama) meaning "heaven, sky" and 照 (terasu) meaning "shine". This was the name of the Japanese sun goddess, the ruler of the heavens. She was born when Izanagi washed his left eye after returning from the underworld. At one time the Japanese royal family claimed descent from her.

Variant of Alice.