Brachaya's Personal Name List

Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix अ (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.

Means "lord of wisdom", from Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.

From Japanese 明 (ake) meaning "bright" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Derived from Greek ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.

From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.

Means "immortality" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with plants and long life. She was often mentioned with Haurvatat.

From Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian jmn (reconstructed as Yamanu) meaning "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity Amon-Ra.

Means "infinite, endless" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Means "evil spirit", from Avestan 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.

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.

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

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.

Meaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.

Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).

From the Greek Ἀταλάντη (Atalante) meaning "equal in weight", derived from ἀτάλαντος (atalantos), a word related to τάλαντον (talanton) meaning "a scale, a balance". In Greek legend she was a fast-footed maiden who refused to marry anyone who could not beat her in a race. She was eventually defeated by Hippomenes, who dropped three golden apples during the race causing her to stop to pick them up.

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

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.

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".

Hebrew form of Semitic root bʿl meaning "lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god Hadad.

Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.

Possibly a feminine form of the Old Norse name Brandr, meaning "fire, torch, sword", which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages. This name is sometimes used as a feminine form of Brendan.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin caelum meaning "heaven".

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 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).

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.

From Chinese 超 (chāo) meaning "surpass, leap over" (which is usually only masculine), 潮 (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Variant of Chastity.

Latinized form of Greek Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra) and Κλυταιμήστρα (Klytaimestra), in which the first element is κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". The spelling Klytaimnestra would suggest the second element is μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning "courter, wooer", while Klytaimestra would suggest a connection to μήδομαι (medomai) meaning "to plan, to intend". There is debate over which spelling is earlier or more authentic [1], since the ancient texts seem to make puns based on both etymologies. Klytaimestra appears in the works of the Greek tragedians such as Aeschylus, while Klytaimnestra appears in Homer's poems (the earliest extant copy dating from the post-classical period).

In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of Orestes and Electra. While her husband was away during the Trojan War she took a lover, and upon his return she had Agamemnon murdered. She was subsequently killed by her son Orestes.

Medieval short form of Durante. The most notable bearer of this name was Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the Italian poet who wrote the Divine Comedy.

Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "tenth" in Latin.

Derived from Greek δυσδαίμων (dysdaimon) meaning "ill-fated". This is the name of the wife of Othello in Shakespeare's play Othello (1603).

Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

As a given name, Diana has been regularly used since the Renaissance. It became more common in the English-speaking world following Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817), which featured a character named Diana Vernon. It also appeared in George Meredith's novel Diana of the Crossways (1885). A notable bearer was the British royal Diana Spencer (1961-1997), the Princess of Wales.

Means "justice, custom, order" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the Ὥραι (Horai).

Short form of Dorothy, Theodora or Isidora.

Means "mercy" in Old Norse. This was the name of a Norse goddess of healing and medicine.

Probably derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.

Roman cognomen meaning "auspicious, lucky" in Latin. It was also occasionally used as a praenomen, or given name. This was the name of several early Christian saints.

From Old Norse Gríðr, probably derived from either gríð "zeal, vehemence" or grið "peace". In Norse myth she was a giantess (jǫtunn), the mother of Vidar by Odin. She aided Thor in his fight against the giant Geirrod.

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.

Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.

From Japanese 和 (hono) meaning "harmony" (using an obscure nanori reading) and 花 (ka) meaning "flower", as well as other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation. Very often it is written using the hiragana writing system.

Derived from Old Norse hulda meaning "hiding, secrecy". This was the name of a sorceress in Norse mythology. As a modern name, it can also derive from archaic Swedish huld meaning "gracious, sweet, lovable" [2].

From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

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 "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

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

From Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

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.

From Japanese 勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" and 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other combinations of kanji are also possible.

From Japanese 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or 一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with 枝 (e) meaning "branch" or 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other combinations of kanji characters can potentially form this name.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness", 希 (ki) meaning "hope" or 樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.

From Japanese 清 (kiyoshi) or 淳 (kiyoshi) both meaning "pure". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 光希 or 幸輝 (see Kōki).

Short form of Eulalia.

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.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.

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

Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.

This was the name of two ruling queens of Portugal. It was also borne by the Habsburg queen Maria Theresa (1717-1780), whose inheritance of the domains of her father, the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, began the War of the Austrian Succession.

From Japanese 勝 (masaru) meaning "victory" or 優 (masaru) meaning "excellence". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

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

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

From Japanese 道 (michi) meaning "path". Other kanji can also form this name.

From the Old English name Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements milde "gentle" and þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.

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

From Japanese 実 (minoru) meaning "to bear fruit", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Short form of Araminta.

Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

Derived from Latin mirandus meaning "admirable, worthy of being admired". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play The Tempest (1611), in which Miranda and her father Prospero are stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.

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

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 夜 (ya) meaning "night" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

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

From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".

From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.

From Japanese 直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and 樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of different kanji with the same pronunciations.

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

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

Meaning unknown. It was borne by the wife of Umbarra, who was a 19th-century leader of the Yuin, an Australian Aboriginal people.

Medieval diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Eleanor, Ellen 1 or Helen. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase mine El, which was later reinterpreted as my Nel.

Roman cognomen derived from Latin nervus "strength". This is the name by which the 1st-century Roman emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva is commonly known.

Variant of Neville.

Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "ninth" in Latin. This was a rare praenomen.

Perhaps based on Latin oro "to pray". It was first used in America in the 19th century.

From the Old English elements os "god" and wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of Patrick. A notable bearer of the surname was the American World War II general George S. Patton (1885-1945), who played an important part in the allied offensive in France.

Derived from Latin perditus meaning "lost". Shakespeare created this name for the daughter of Hermione and Leontes in his play The Winter's Tale (1610). Abandoned as an infant by her father the king, she grows up to be a shepherdess and falls in love with with Florizel.

Feminine form of Priscus, a Roman family name meaning "ancient" in Latin. This name appears in the epistles in the New Testament, referring to Priscilla the wife of Aquila.

From Japanese 鈴 (rei) meaning "bell", 麗 (rei) meaning "beautiful, lovely" or 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade". This name can also be formed by other kanji with the same pronunciation.

From Japanese 凛 (rin) meaning "dignified, severe, cold" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Roman cognomen meaning "red-haired" in Latin. Several early saints had this name, including one mentioned in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament. As a nickname it was used by William II Rufus, a king of England, because of his red hair. It came into general use in the English-speaking world after the Protestant Reformation.

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

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 良一 or 亮一 (see Ryōichi).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 竜 or 龍 (see Ryū).

From Japanese 咲 (sa) meaning "blossom" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", besides other combinations of kanji characters.

From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).

In England, Sarah came into use after the Protestant Reformation. It was consistently popular in the 20th century throughout the English-speaking world, reaching the top of the charts for England and Wales in the 1970s and 80s.

Notable bearers include Sarah Churchill (1660-1744), an influential British duchess and a close friend of Queen Anne, and the French actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923).

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

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

From Japanese 真 (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.

From Japanese 空 (sora) or 昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.

From Japanese 鈴 (suzu) meaning "bell" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.

Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.

Roman cognomen meaning "silent, mute" in Latin. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman historian, known for writing the Histories and the Annals.

From Chinese 太 (tài) meaning "very, extreme" or other characters pronounced in a similar way.

This was both a Roman praenomen and a cognomen meaning "third" in Latin. It is mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament as the name of the person who wrote the letter (while Paul dictated it).

Perhaps based on Latin Titanius meaning "of the Titans". This name was (first?) used by William Shakespeare in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) where it belongs to the queen of the fairies, the wife of Oberon. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.

From Japanese 翼 (tsubasa) meaning "wing", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Roman name that was derived from Latin vita "life". Saint Vitus was a child martyred in Sicily in the early 4th century. From an early date this name was confused with the Germanic name Wido.

From Japanese 安 (yasu) meaning "peace, quiet", 康 (yasu) meaning "peaceful" or 坦 (yasu) meaning "flat, smooth, level", as well as other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Means "enough, sufficient" in Turkish.

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

From Chinese 珍 (zhēn) meaning "precious, rare", 真 (zhēn) meaning "real, genuine", 贞 (zhēn) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.