GML's Personal Name List

Means "born in my absence" in Yoruba. It is typically given to children born when the father is away.

Latinized form of Greek Ἄκανθα (Akantha), which meant "thorn, prickle". In Greek legend she was a nymph loved by Apollo.

Derived from the Old German elements adal "noble" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Adalhard or Adalard was a cousin of Charlemagne who became an abbot of Corbie.

Old German form of Adelaide.

From the Old German elements adal "noble" and wini "friend" (a cognate of Æðelwine).

Means "nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of adal "noble" and the suffix heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.

In Britain the parallel form Alice, derived via Old French, has historically been more common than Adelaide, though this form did gain some currency in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.

Form of Adela used in several languages. A famous bearer was the dancer and actress Adele Astaire (1896-1981). It was also borne by the British singer Adele Adkins (1988-), known simply as Adele. Shortly after she released her debut album in 2008 the name reentered the American top 1000 chart after a 40-year absence.

French and English form of Adelina.

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.

Feminine form of Adrastos. In Greek mythology this name was borne by a nymph who fostered the infant Zeus. This was also another name of the goddess Nemesis.

Form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.

Old Irish form of Aodhán.

Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Combination of Aeron and the Welsh element gwen meaning "white, blessed".

Form of Agatha in various languages.

Old Norse form of Ove.

Russian form of Agrippina.

From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other character combinations.

Possibly means "good fathers" from Basque aita "father" and on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.

Variant of Alan. The American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) got his middle name from the surname of the parents who adopted him.

From the name of the River Alwen in northern Wales (a tributary of the River Dee).

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

Basque form of Antonius (see Anthony).

Faroese form of Andreas (see Andrew).

From Old Irish Aífe, derived from oíph meaning "beauty" (modern Irish aoibh). This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a woman at war with Scáthach (her sister in some versions). She was defeated in single combat by the hero Cúchulainn, who spared her life on the condition that she bear him a child (Connla). Another legendary figure by this name appears in the Children of Lir as the jealous third wife of Lir.

This name is sometimes Anglicized as Eve or Eva.

Means "worship" in Sanskrit.

Meaning unexplained, though the first element is presumably Sindarin ara "noble, kingly". This is the name of a character in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien. In the book Aragorn is the heir of the Dúnedain kings of the north.

Means "rock" in Basque.

Old Norse, Icelandic and Faroese form of Åsa.

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Aslaug.

Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".

From Japanese 明日 (asu) meaning "tomorrow" and 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance", or from 飛 (asu) meaning "to fly" and 鳥 (ka) meaning "bird". Other kanji combinations can be possible as well.

From Atholl, the name of a district in Scotland, from Scottish Gaelic Athall, possibly derived from Old Irish ath Fhotla "new Ireland".

Variant of Aveline.

Croatian and Serbian form of Bisera.

Derived from the Old Norse elements borg "fortress" and hildr "battle". In the Norse Völsungasaga she is the wife of Sigmund.

Means "salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.

From the Old Irish name Broccán, derived from bróc "shoe, sandal, greave" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several Irish saints, including Saint Patrick's scribe.

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".

Variant of Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).

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

Means "armour" in Old Norse.

From an English word meaning "rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.

Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".

Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".

From the name of places near the town of Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales.

Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.

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.

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

From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and 尋 (hiro) meaning "fathom, armspan", as well as other kanji combinations. This is the name of the main character in the Japanese animated movie Spirited Away (2001).

Diminutive of Ciar. This was the name of two 6th-century Irish saints: Ciarán the Elder, the founder of the monastery at Saighir, and Ciarán the Younger, the founder of the monastery at Clonmacnoise.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh meaning "descendant of the helpful one" and Mac Óda meaning "son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).

Variant of Connla.

Variant of Doireann.

From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.

Probably an elaborated form of Darren.

Anglicized form of Irish Deaglán, Old Irish Declán, which is of unknown meaning. Saint Declan was a 5th-century missionary to the Déisi peoples of Ireland and the founder of the monastery at Ardmore.

In America, this name received boosts in popularity from main characters in the movies The Jackal (1997) and Leap Year (2010).

Means "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.

From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.

It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 20th century, influenced by two plays featuring the character: William Butler Yeats' Deirdre (1907) and J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910).

Older form of Deirdre.

Meaning unknown, though it has been suggested that it means "without envy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.

Old Irish form of Diarmaid.

Possibly from the Old Irish prefix der "daughter" and finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish doireann "sullen, tempestuous" [1]. This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.

The name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.

Feminine form of Drago.

Welsh form of Tristan.

From the Old English elements dunn "dark" and stan "stone". This name was borne by a 10th-century saint, the archbishop of Canterbury. It was occasionally used in the Middle Ages, though it died out after the 16th century. It was revived by the Tractarian movement in the 19th century.

Basque form of Edward.

Means "snow" in Basque, from edur, a variant of elur "snow". It is an equivalent of Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.

Means "rich guard", derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.

This is one of the few Old English names to be used throughout Europe (in various spellings). A famous bearer was the British composer Edward Elgar (1857-1934). It was also used by author Charlotte Brontë for the character Edward Rochester, the main love interest of the title character in her novel Jane Eyre (1847).

Means "June (month)" in Basque.

Means "storm" in Basque.

Means "star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.

Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.

Means "colours" in Turkish.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.

From the Hebrew name חֲנוֹך (Ḥanoḵ) meaning "dedicated". In Genesis in the Old Testament this is the name of the son of Cain. It is also the name of a son of Jared and the father of Methuselah, who was the supposed author of the apocryphal Books of Enoch.

Derived from the Old English elements eofor "boar" and hild "battle". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.

Means "horse joy" in Old English. This name was invented by J. R. R. Tolkien who used Old English to represent the Rohirric language. In his novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan. She slays the Lord of the Nazgul in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

Italian form of Hercules.

Feminine form of Erik. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.

From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.

Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.

Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.

Means "mercy" in Basque. It was coined by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name Mercedes.

Possibly derived from Old Irish ét meaning "jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale The Wooing of Étaín [2]. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.

In modern Irish this name is properly spelled Éadaoin.

Means "mirth, merriment, cheerfulness" in Greek, a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". She was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.

Means "rain" in Basque.

Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.

Possibly from Old Irish facht meaning "malice". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, said in some traditions to be the husband of Neasa and the father of Conchobar.

Variant of Feidlimid.

From Old Irish Fiachrae, possibly from fiach "raven" or fích "battle" combined with rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.

From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.

Variant of Fionnuala.

Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.

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.

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

From an English surname that either referred to a person who made hinges (Old French carne) or was derived from the Norman name Guarin.

Medieval form of Gawain. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.

Irish form of Gerald.

Means "spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play Hamlet (1600) for the mother of Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).

Italian form of Jade.

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

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

Possibly derived from Old Irish grán meaning "grain" or gráin meaning "hatred, fear". In the Irish legend The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.

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.

Variant of Arkaitz.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.

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

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

Variant of Irune.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Hortensius, possibly derived from Latin hortus meaning "garden".

French masculine and feminine form of Hyacinthus.

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

Romanian and Welsh form of John. This is also an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Йоан (see Yoan 2).

Means "trinity" in Basque, derived from hiru meaning "three". It was proposed by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name Trinidad.

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.

Derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and gněvŭ "anger".

Czech and Slovak feminine form of Yaroslav.

Short form of names beginning with the sound J, such as James or Jason. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.

English form of Jeremiah, originally a medieval vernacular form. This is the spelling used in some English versions of the New Testament.

Basque form of Joseph.

Means "beloved" in Thai.

Means "love" in Cornish.

Means "green leaves" in the fictional language Sindarin, from laeg "green" combined with go-lass "collection of leaves". In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Legolas is the son of the elf lord Thranduil and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.

From Hebrew לִוְיָתָן (Liwyaṯan), derived from לִוְיָה (liwya) meaning "garland, wreath" [1]. This is the name of an enormous sea monster mentioned in the Old Testament.

Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.

Variant of Llewelyn.

Means "flower" in Basque.

Means "bringing light", derived from Latin lux "light" and ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.

Probably derived from the name of the mythological figure Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght [1] and Gorman [2].

From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".

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

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

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

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).

From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.

An influential bearer of the name was Martin Luther (1483-1546), the theologian who began the Protestant Reformation. The name was also borne by five popes (two of them more commonly known as Marinus). Other more recent bearers include the German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), and the American filmmaker Martin Scorsese (1942-).

Modern Persian form of Mithra. As a Persian vocabulary word it means "friendship, love, kindness". It is also the name of the seventh month of the Persian calendar. All of these derive from the same source: the Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "oath, covenant, agreement".

From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).

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.

From Irish muirn meaning either "affection, endearment" or "festivity, exuberance". In Irish legend this was the name of the mother of Fionn mac Cumhaill. She is also called Muirenn.

Meaning unknown, presumably of Irish origin. In Irish legend he was the young man who fled to Scotland with Deirdre, who was due to marry Conchobar the king of Ulster. Conchobar eventually succeeded in capturing Deirdre and killing Naoise, which caused Deirdre to die of grief.

Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.

Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".

From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.

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

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.

From Old Irish Nuadu, probably from Nodens. In Irish mythology he was the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After he lost an arm in battle it was replaced with one made from silver, and he received the byname Airgetlám meaning "silver hand". He was later killed fighting the monstrous Fomorians led by Balor. This name was also borne by a few semi-legendary Irish kings.

Means "little deer", derived from Old Irish oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.

Hungarian form of Oliver.

Short form of Milorad and other names containing the Slavic element radŭ meaning "happy, willing". It is often used independently.

Variant of Rhiannon.

From the Old Welsh name Rotri, derived from rod "wheel" and ri "king". This name was borne by several medieval Welsh rulers, including Rhodri the Great, a 9th-century king of Gwynedd.

Means "rose" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.

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

Diminutive of Robert or Roberta.

Feminine form of Roshan, used in Persian to refer to Roxana the wife of Alexander the Great.

Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century [1].

Latinized form of Sadb.

From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".

Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.

From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.

Form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina) in various languages.

From an Old Testament place name, in Hebrew שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) meaning "plain", referring to a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel. This is also the name of a flowering plant in the Bible, the rose of Sharon, a term now used to refer to several different species of flowers.

It has been in use as a feminine given name in the English-speaking world since the 1920s, possibly inspired by the heroine in the serial novel The Skyrocket (1925) by Adela Rogers St. Johns [1]. As a Hebrew name it is unisex.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair". A notable bearer was the American author Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951).

Diminutive of Sìne.

In Irish legend this was the name of a granddaughter of the sea god Lir who went to Connla's Well, which was forbidden. The well burst and drowned her, leaving her body in the river thereafter known as the Sionainn (see Shannon).

Means "love rose" in Armenian.

Means "hopping, spurting, spilling" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu god of war, also known as Kartikeya or Murugan. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is worshipped especially by the Tamils in southern India.

From Old Irish Suibne, possibly derived from subae meaning "joy, pleasure". This was the name of several figures from early Irish history, including a 7th-century high king and an 8th-century saint. It also appears in the Irish legend Buile Suibhne (meaning "The Madness of Suibhne") about a king who goes insane after being cursed by Saint Rónán Finn.

Means "sun" in several northern Indian languages, derived from Sanskrit सूर्य (sūrya).

Derived from the Old German elements swan "swan" and hilt "battle". Swanhild (or Swanachild) was the second wife of the Frankish ruler Charles Martel in the 8th century.

Medieval form of Tobias. It was sometimes used as a feminine name in the 1930s and 40s due to the influence of American actress Toby Wing (1915-2001).

From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.

When borne by a female, this name is the French form of Victorica, which is the original feminine form of Victoricus. When borne by a male, this name is a variant spelling of Victoric.

Means "love" in Arabic, derived from the root ودّ (wadda) meaning "to love".

Spanish form of Zechariah and Zacharias.

Derived from Hebrew זְבוּל (zevul) meaning "exalted house". In the Old Testament Zebulun is the tenth son of Jacob (his sixth son by Leah) and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Genesis 30:20 connects the name to the related verb זָבַל (zaval), translated as "exalt, honour" or "dwell with" in different versions of the Bible, when Leah says my husband will exalt/dwell with me.

Perhaps means "enchanting" or "dawn" in Arabic. This was the name of a minor 12th-century Spanish saint, a convert from Islam. The name was used by Cervantes for a character in his novel Don Quixote (1606), in which Zoraida is a beautiful Moorish woman of Algiers who converts to Christianity and elopes with a Spanish officer.