StingyKingPro's Personal Name List

From the Hebrew name הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning "breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of Adam and Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.

Means "my father has judged" in Hebrew, derived from אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and דִּין (din) meaning "to judge". In the Old Testament he is a Benjamite prince.

From the Hebrew name אַבְנֵר (ʾAvner) meaning "my father is a light", derived from אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother Joab.

A famous bearer was the 14th-century Jewish philosopher Abner of Burgos, called Alfonso of Valladolid after he converted to Christianity. It has been used as an English Christian given name since the Protestant Reformation. It was popular with the Puritans, who brought it to America in the 17th century.

From the Hebrew name אַבְרָהָם (ʾAvraham), which may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" or else as a contraction of Abram 1 and הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see Genesis 17:5). With his father Terah, he led his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son Ishmael.

As an English Christian name, Abraham became common after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was the American president Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who pushed to abolish slavery and led the country through the Civil War.

Means "high father" in Hebrew, from the roots אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt, to be high". In the Old Testament God changed Abram's name to Abraham (see Genesis 17:5).

Polish, French, Gascon, Haitian Creole, Danish, Faroese and Norwegian form of Absalom.

This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning "to make".

According to Genesis in the Old Testament Adam was created from the earth by God (there is a word play on Hebrew אֲדָמָה (ʾaḏama) meaning "earth"). He and Eve were supposedly the first humans, living happily in the Garden of Eden until they ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As a result they were expelled from Eden to the lands to the east, where they gave birth to the second generation, including Cain, Abel and Seth.

As an English Christian name, Adam has been common since the Middle Ages, and it received a boost after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).

Meaning uncertain. A known bearer of this name is the Bosnian politician Adamir Jerković (b. 1958).

From the Old German name Adalwolf, which meant "noble wolf" from the elements adal "noble" and wolf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.

Greek form of 'Adoniyah (see Adonijah), as it first appeared in the Septuagint.

Possibly a form of Adonaiel.

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.

Means "flock of God" in Hebrew, from עֵדֶר (ʿeḏer) meaning "flock, herd" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.

Polish form of Ajax.

Variant of Axel.

Variant of Adalhard.

From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.

As an English name, Alban was occasionally used in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 18th century, though it is now uncommon.

From the Germanic name Adalbert meaning "noble and bright", composed of the elements adal "noble" and beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.

This name was borne by two 20th-century kings of Belgium. Other famous bearers include the German physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), creator of the theory of relativity, and Albert Camus (1913-1960), a French-Algerian writer and philosopher.

Form of Albinus in several languages.

Form of Alexander in several languages.

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.

Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.

Famous bearers include the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), the Swedish inventor and Nobel Prize founder Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), and the British-American film director Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980).

Means "lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning "to be high". Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. His followers were the original Shia Muslims, who regard him as the first rightful caliph.

This name is borne by the hero in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the tale of a man who finds the treasure trove of a band of thieves. Another famous bearer was the boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who changed his name from Cassius Clay upon his conversion to Islam.

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

Younger form of Almarr and masculine form of Alma 1.

Bosnian form of Al-Amir.

Short form of Adalmund.

Variant of Alf 1.

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

Modern form of Alfhard and Norwegian variant of Alvar.

Archaic Norwegian form of Alffinnr.

Variant of AlvéR.

French form of Amandus.

Means "treetop" in Hebrew.

Means "friend" in Hebrew.

Russian and Bulgarian form of Anastasius.

Hebrew form of Anath 1. In modern times it is often used as a feminine name.

Scandinavian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A famous bearer was the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814-1874).

Norwegian form of Andri.

French, Portuguese and Galician form of Andreas (see Andrew).

Masculine form of Andriana.

Form of Andreas.

Norwegian form of Andríður.

Romansh form of Heinrich, traditionally found in the Engadine valley.

From the Old Danish name Ankarl, of uncertain meaning, possibly a combination of Old Norse ǫrn "eagle" and karl "man".

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

Means "wild goat" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Dishan in the Old Testament.

Norwegian form of Ari 2.

Means "lion" in Hebrew.

Variation of Aryan, or from the English word referring to "someone whose star sign is Aries". Arian Foster (born 1986) is an American football player for the Houston Texans.

Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).

Variant of Eric.

Possibly a variant of Harald or Arnold.

French and Catalan form of Herman.

Variant of Arnaud.

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

Danish, Norwegian and Faroese form of Arnbjörn.

Originally an Old Norse short form of names beginning with the element ǫrn meaning "eagle".

Norwegian form of Arnfinnr, which was derived from the elements ǫrn "eagle" and finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".

Norwegian and Icelandic form of Arngeirr.

Variant of Arnulf.

Norwegian form of Arnsteinn.

Norwegian and Swedish form of Arnold.

Norwegian variant of Arvid.

Polish, Croatian and Scandinavian form of Aaron.

Form of Arthur in several languages.

Norwegian and Danish form of Ásbjǫrn.

Norwegian form of Asger.

Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.

Variant of Atle or Asleiv.

Modern form of Áslæikr.

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

Norwegian form of Atli.

Derived from the Old Norse elements auðr "wealth, fortune" and bjǫrn "bear".

Variant of Audgard. This was the middle name of comedian and actor Åsleik Engmark (1965-2017).

Derived from the Old Norse elements auðr "wealth, fortune" and mundr "protector", making it a cognate of Eadmund.

Combination of the Old Norse name elements auðr "prosperity, fortune, riches" and vǫrðr "guard", making it a cognate of Edward.

Relatively modern name (from early 20th century) derived from the Old Norse elements auðr "wealth, fortune" and vinr "friend", making it a cognate of Edwin.

German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.

As an English name it can also derive from the month of August, which was named for the Roman emperor Augustus.

Romanian and German form of Aurelius.

Medieval contracted form of Augustine 1. Modern use of the name is probably also partly inspired by the common surname Austin, which is of the same origin. This is also the name of a city in Texas.

From Old Norse Baldr meaning "hero, lord, prince", derived from baldr meaning "brave, bold". In Norse mythology Balder was the handsome son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the devious god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.

Spanish form of Balthazar. This is also the form (of Belshazzar) used in the Greek Old Testament.

Means "lightning" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Barak was a military commander under the guidance of the prophetess Deborah. They defeated the Canaanite army led by Sisera.

Norwegian form of the Old Norse name Bárðr, which was derived from the elements bǫð "battle" and friðr "peace".

Greek form of an Aramaic name. In Acts in the New Testament the byname Barnabas was given to a man named Joseph, a Jew from Cyprus who was a companion of Paul on his missionary journeys. The original Aramaic form is unattested, but it may be from בּר נביא (bar navi) meaning "son of the prophet", though in Acts 4:36 it is claimed that the name means "son of encouragement".

As an English name, Barnabas came into occasional use after the 12th century. It is now rare, though the variant Barnaby is still moderately common in Britain.

Norwegian form of Benedict.

Form of Benedictus (see Benedict) in several languages.

From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).

As an English name, Benjamin came into general use after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher.

Variant of Bennett.

Danish form of Benedict.

Modern form of Bergr.

Scandinavian form of Bernard.

From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".

From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".

Modern form of Bjórr.

Danish and Norwegian form of Björn.

From the Old Norse elements bjǫrn "bear" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century [1].

Combination of Bjørn and Norwegian stjerne meaning "star". Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) was a Norwegian writer and Nobel laureate (Literature, 1903).

Variant of Birger.

From a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as Bogoris, perhaps meaning "short" or "wolf" or "snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria, who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.

Other notable bearers of the name include the Russian emperor Boris Godunov (1552-1605), later the subject of a play of that name by Aleksandr Pushkin, as well as the Russian author Boris Pasternak (1890-1960), the Bulgarian king Boris III (1894-1943), and the Russian president Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007).

Norwegian form of Börje.

Modern Scandinavian form of Bragi.

From the medieval Danish word bredje, meaning "battle axe". This name is rarely used outside Norway. Brede is also a surname.

From the Old Norse name Bróðir meaning "brother".

Derived from Old Norse dagr meaning "day".

Derived from the Old Norse elements dagr "day" and bjǫrn "bear".

From the Old Norse name Dagfinnr, which was composed of the elements dagr "day" and finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".

Derived from the Old Norse elements dagr "day" and mundr "protection".

Meaning uncertain. This name might be a masculinization of Dalia 1 or Dahlia, but it could also be a combination of Dale with either Ian or the English suffix -ian, which is ultimately derived from the Latin suffix -ianus.

A known bearer of this name was the English soccer player Dalian Atkinson (1968-2016).

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.

From the Old Norse byname Danr meaning "a Dane". This was the name of several semi-legendary Danish kings.

From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.

Due to the popularity of the biblical character, the name came into use in England during the Middle Ages. Though it became rare by the 15th century, it was revived after the Protestant Reformation. Famous bearers of this name include English author Daniel Defoe (1660-1731), Swiss mathematician Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782), and American frontiersman Daniel Boone (1734-1820).

Derived from Slavic dar, meaning "gift". It is sometimes also considered a derivative of Darius.

From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.

This name has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages. It has been especially popular in Wales, where it is used in honour of the 5th-century patron saint of Wales (also called Dewi), as well as in Scotland, where it was borne by two kings. Over the last century it has been one of the English-speaking world's most consistently popular names, never leaving the top 30 names for boys in the United States, and reaching the top rank in England and Wales during the 1950s and 60s. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys during the 1970s and 80s.

Famous bearers include empiricist philosopher David Hume (1711-1776), explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873), musician David Bowie (1947-2016), and soccer player David Beckham (1975-). This is also the name of the hero of Charles Dickens' semi-autobiographical novel David Copperfield (1850).

Variant of Dexter.

Usual English, German and Dutch form of Denis.

East Prussian German form of Desiderius.

Means "candle" in Indonesian.

Danish, Norwegian and Swedish form of Dietrich as well as a rare Dutch shortened form of Diederik.

A known bearer of this name is the Norwegian singer Didrik Solli-Tangen (b. 1987).

Variant of Diodorus.

Form of Dominic used in various languages.

From the Roman cognomen Domitianus, itself derived from the family name Domitius. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, born as Titus Flavius Domitianus.

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.

Derived from the Old Norse name Drængr meaning "young man, lad" or "bold man". It coincides with the modern Danish word dreng meaning "boy". Danish author Johannes V. Jensen used this name for a character in his six-volume novel 'Den lange Rejse' (1908-22; English translation 'The Long Journey', 1922-24); the series, for which Jensen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944, is perceived as a history of humankind, based on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, and thus a scientific counterpart to the biblical Genesis. Only Dreng stays behind when a prehistoric glacial age drives all other people southward, and together with Moa founds a new dynasty.

Derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton [1]. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).

Means "rich protection", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.

Famous bearers of the name include the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), the German-Czech philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) and New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first person to climb Mount Everest.

Scandinavian form of either Edward or Ewald.

Form of Edward in several languages. Notable bearers include the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) and the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1863-1944).

Scandinavian, Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian form of Edwin.

Hebrew form of Ephraim.

From the Old Norse name Egill, a diminutive of names that began with the element agi "awe, fear". This was the name of a semi-legendary 10th-century Viking, described in the Icelandic Egill's Saga.

From the Old German name Egino, derived from the element agin meaning "edge, blade" (from Proto-Germanic *agjō). Saint Egino was a 12th-century abbot from Augsburg.

Variant of Egil.

From the Old Norse name Einarr, derived from the elements einn "one, alone" and herr "army, warrior". This name shares the same roots as einherjar, the word for the slain warriors in Valhalla.

Derived from the Old Norse name Eindriði, possibly from the elements einn "one, alone" and ríða "to ride".

Norwegian form of Eiríkr (see Eric).

Variant of Eysteinn.

Variant of Øyvind.

Combination of Old Norse eldr "fire" and herr "army, warrior".

Means "my God" in Hebrew.

Polish, Bulgarian and Ukrainian form of Aelian.

Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.

Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.

Modern German form of Adelmar or Egilmar.

Variant of Alvin.

Male form of Elvira.

Meaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of Alvis or Elwin. More likely, it is from the rare surname Elvis, a variant of Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name Eloise. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.

This name is also used as an Anglicized form of Irish Ailbhe.

Form of Emmanuel in several languages.

Romanian and Polish form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).

Swedish and Norwegian form of Emmerich.

Norwegian short form of Eindride.

Norwegian form of Engelbert.

Scandinavian form of Enoch.

Scandinavian form of Eric. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.

Variant of Erland.

Means "descendant of the jarl", a derivative of the Old Norse word jarl meaning "chieftain, nobleman, earl".

Possibly a masculine form of Erna 1, itself a feminine form of Ernest.

Derived from Old High German ernust meaning "serious, earnest". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

Form of Isaiah used in the Greek and Latin Bibles, as well as some English translations of the New Testament.

Norwegian spelling of Ezekias.

Faroese form of Esekíel.

Variant of Asbjørn.

Form of Eugenius (see Eugene) in several languages.

From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.

Means "falcon" in German.

Russian, Slovene and Polish form of Felix.

From Fredenandus, the Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements friþus "peace" (or perhaps farþa "journey" [1]) and nanþa "boldness, daring". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.

Catalan and Croatian form of Philadelphus.

From the Old Norse name Finnr, which meant "Sámi, person from Finland".

Danish form of Fjǫlnir.

From the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.

French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).

From the Roman cognomen Florianus, a derivative of Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.

From an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.

The name was brought to England by the Normans. Notable bearers include author L. Frank Baum (1856-1919), architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), and singer Frank Sinatra (1915-1998).

Younger form of Frethi. A famous bearer is Frederik 'Frede' Engelhart Bojsen (22 August 1841 – 4 December 1926), Danish politician and professor.

Swedish and Norwegian form of Frederick. This was the name of an 18th-century king of Sweden.

Frei is a usual German word meaning "free".

It is the given name of the German architect Frei Otto (1925–2015).

Variant of Fritjof.

From the Old Norse name Fróði, which was derived from fróðr meaning "learned, wise".

Norwegian form of Freyr. Modern feminine usage may be interpreted as a short form of any name starting with frøy, like Frøya and Frøydis.

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.

Means "valley, ravine" in Hebrew.

Norwegian form of Gandalfr. This name was used in the Norwegian translation of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Variant of Gandulf.

Modern form of Garðr.

Norwegian form of Göte.

Derived from the Old Norse element geirr meaning "spear".

Old Swedish and Norwegian form of Gísli.

Variant of Glauku.

Medieval Norwegian form of George.

Danish form of Gösta.

Norwegian form of Göte.

Swedish form of Gregorius (see Gregory).

Medieval form of Grímr meaning "mask, helmet", which remained popular in Anglo-Scandinavian areas well into the 12th century. This was used as another name for the Norse god Odin. Alternatively, as an Old Danish and Old Swedish name derived from Old Norse grimmr "cruel, grim", often used as a part of a name such as Tyrgrim or Grimulf.

Modern form of Grundi.

Variant of Gunnar.

From the Old Norse name Gunnarr, which was derived from the elements gunnr "war" and herr "army, warrior" (making it a cognate of Gunther). In Norse legend Gunnar was the husband of Brynhildr. He had his brother-in-law Sigurd murdered based on his wife's false accusations that Sigurd had taken her virginity.

Possibly means "staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements gautr meaning "Geat" and stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Old Slavic name Gostislav.

This name has been borne by six kings of Sweden, including the 16th-century Gustav I Vasa. Another notable bearer was the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (1862-1918).

Modern Norwegian form of the Old Norse name Hákon, derived from the element hár "high" or hǫð "battle, combat" combined with and konr "son, descendant". This was the name of seven kings of Norway.

Variant of Halfdan.

Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.

Swedish diminutive of Hans.

Norwegian form of Hávarðr.

From the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from heilagr meaning "holy, blessed".

Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).

Derived from the Old Norse elements hildr "battle" and arr "warrior", as well as a masculine form of Hilda.

From the Old Norse name Hjálmarr meaning "helmeted warrior" from the element hjalmr "helmet" combined with herr "army, warrior".

Danish form of Hjalti. In Swedish hjälte means "hero".

From the Greek name Ὅμηρος (Homeros), derived from ὅμηρος (homeros) meaning "hostage, pledge". Homer was the Greek epic poet who wrote the Iliad, about the Trojan War, and the Odyssey, about Odysseus's journey home after the war. There is some debate about when he lived, or if he was even a real person, though most scholars place him in the 8th century BC. In the modern era, Homer has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world (chiefly in America) since the 18th century. This name is borne by the oafish cartoon father on the television series The Simpsons.

Russian form of the Old Norse name Yngvarr (see Ingvar). The Varangians brought it with them when they began settling in Eastern Europe in the 9th century. It was borne by two grand princes of Kyiv, notably Igor I the son of Rurik and the husband of Saint Olga. Other famous bearers include Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), a Russian composer known for The Rite of Spring, and Igor Sikorsky (1889-1972), the Russian-American designer of the first successful helicopter.

Variant of Ingvor (f), Ingvar (m), Ingegerd (f) and Inggard (m). This name is mainly feminine in Sweden and exclusively masculine in Norway.

Variant of Ingemund.

From the Old Norse name Ingólfr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with ulfr meaning "wolf".

Combination of Ing and Old Norse valdr "power, might, ruler".

Derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with the Old Norse element vardr "guardian", though it could also be a variant of Ingvar.

Late Latin form of Isaiah used in some versions of the Bible.

Scandinavian form of Isaac.

Latinized form of Isandros. This was the name of a man killed by the god Ares in Homer's "Iliad".

Younger form of Ísarr.

German and Russian form of Isidore.

From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.

Newer form of the Old Church Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannŭ), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.

Scandinavian form of Ivor.

Provençal and Medieval Breton form and French variant of Yvon.

Means "he shines" in Hebrew, a derivative of אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "to shine". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Manasseh and one of the ruling judges of the Israelites.

Form of Jacob (or James) used in several languages.

Form of Johannes used in various languages. This name was borne by the Czech church reformer Jan Hus (1370-1415), the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441), and the Dutch painters Jan Steen (1626-1679) and Jan Vermeer (1632-1675).

Variant of Hjarrand and Jørund.

Variant of Jarl.

Alternate transcription of Hebrew יָרוֹן (see Yaron).

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.

Danish form of John.

German, Portuguese and Finnish form of Jeremiah. It is also the form used in some English translations of the New Testament.

From Latin Hieremihel, probably from the Hebrew name Yeraḥmeʾel (see Jerahmeel). Jeremiel (also called Remiel or Uriel) is named as an archangel in some versions of the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (preserved in Latin) in the Old Testament.

Variant of Erik predominantly found in Jylland.

Croatian form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).

Danish form of Jasper.

English form of Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), which was the Greek form of the Aramaic name יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshuaʿ). Yeshuaʿ is itself a contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ (see Joshua). Yeshua ben Yoseph, better known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of the New Testament and the source of the Christian religion. The four gospels state that he was the son of God and the Virgin Mary who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. He preached for three years before being crucified in Jerusalem.

Medieval diminutive of James.

Scandinavian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Joachim.

Modern form of the Old Norse name Jóarr.

From the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning "Yahweh is God", from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.

Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016).

Scandinavian and Basque form of Iohannes (see John).

From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.

Spanish and Polish form of Jonathan, as well as a Scandinavian and German variant form.

Fijian form of John, as well as a Norwegian variant form.

From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning "descend, flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.

This name died out after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. In America and other countries it became fairly popular in the second half of the 20th century. A famous bearer of the surname is former basketball star Michael Jordan (1963-).

Danish and Norwegian form of Jürgen.

Variant of Yorick.

Short form of Jørgen.

Previously a dialectal variant of Jorunn, though more recently it has been given to boys, being the modern form of Jǫrundr, an Old Norse masculine name of uncertain meaning. The first element is probably derived from jara "battle, fight" (or from jór "stallion", as in Jorunn); the second element is vindr, which may mean "winner" (from vinna "to win") or "wind".

German, Czech and Scandinavian form of Joseph.

From Ἰωσῆς (Ioses), a Greek variant of Joseph used in the New Testament to distinguish Joseph the brother of James from the many other characters of that name.

Portuguese and French form of Josiah, as well as some English translations of the New Testament.

From the Old Norse name Jósteinn, derived from the elements jór "horse" and steinn "stone".

Norwegian and Danish form of Joshua.

From Ἰούδας (Ioudas), the Greek form of Judah. This is the name of several characters in the New Testament including the infamous Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities in exchange for money. This spelling also appears in most English translations of the Books of Maccabees.

From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).

Anglicized form of Iunianus (see Junianus) as well as the Provençal form of this name. This name was borne by two early medieval saints.

From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

From the Latin name Iustinus, which was derived from Justus. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the late Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the second half of the 20th century. Famous modern bearers include pop stars Justin Timberlake (1981-) and Justin Bieber (1994-).

Meaning uncertain, possibly a Frisian diminutive of Gerhard, Nicolaas, Cornelis or Gaius [1]. It is borne by a boy captured by the Snow Queen in an 1844 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Spreading from Germany and Scandinavia, this name became popular in the English-speaking world and other places in Western Europe around the end of the 20th century.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a variant of Kalman and an adoption of the Swedish place name Kalmar in Småland and Uppland.

Variant of Calvin.

From the Old Norse name Kári meaning "curly, curved".

Croatian form of Carinus.

German and Scandinavian form of Charles. This was the name of seven rulers of the Franks and the Holy Roman Empire. It was also borne by a beatified emperor of Austria (1887-1922), as well as ten kings of Sweden. Other famous bearers include the German philosophers Karl Marx (1818-1883), one of the developers of communism, and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969), an existentialist and psychiatrist.

Polish, Slovak and Slovene form of Karl.

Low German form of Christian.

Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper.

German and Polish form of Cassander.

German and Russian form of Cassianus (see Cassian).

From the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning "narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.

Scandinavian form of Kenneth.

From a surname that was originally derived from Kent, the name of a county in England, which may be derived from a Brythonic word meaning "coastal district".

Anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín meaning "beloved birth", derived from Old Irish Cóemgein, composed of cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" and gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin.

The name became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the middle of the 20th century, and elsewhere in Europe in the latter half of the 20th century. Famous bearers include the American actors Kevin Costner (1955-) and Kevin Bacon (1958-). It was also borne by the character Kevin McCallister in the 1990 comedy movie Home Alone.

Scandinavian short form of Joachim.

Variant of Kjerand (see Herrand).

Younger form of Mýrkjartan as well as a Scandinavian form of Certán.

Variant of Ketil.

Polish form of Claudianus.

Czech and Slovak form of Clemens (see Clement).

Derived from Old Norse knútr meaning "knot". Knut was a Danish prince who defeated Æðelræd II, king of England, in the early 11th century and became the ruler of Denmark, Norway and England.

German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.

Croatian form of Crispus.

Croatian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Crispinus (see Crispin).

Danish and Norwegian form of Christian.

Scandinavian and Finnish form of Christian, as well as a Bulgarian variant form.

Faroese form of Christinus.

Scandinavian form of Christopher.

German contracted form of Conrad. A famous bearer was the American musician Kurt Cobain (1967-1994).

Croatian, Russian and Serbian form of Quintinus.

Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Quirinus.

Form of Cyprian. Kyprian Zochovskyj was the Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia, and Russia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1674 to his death in 1693.

Modern form of Kyrri. A notable bearer is Norwegian DJ and music producer Kygo (Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll, b. 1991).

Scandinavian form of Laurence 1.

French form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.

From the Old Norse name Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.

Means "for God" in Hebrew, from the proposition לְמוֹ (lemo) combined with אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the name of a king briefly mentioned in Proverbs in the Old Testament. In the Book of Mormon it is the name of a rebellious son of Lehi and Sariah. It is also borne by the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels (1726).

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), whose name is Лев in Russian.

Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion" combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. This was also the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr, the father of Origen, from Alexandria.

German form of Leobwin.

Bulgarian, French, Russian and Ukrainian form of Linus.

Variant of Lineus.

Modern Scandinavian form of Loki.

Low German form of Louis.

Spanish form of Louis.

German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Lithuanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This was the most popular name for boys in Germany, Austria and Lithuania in some years of the 1990s and 2000s.

From the Old Norse elements magn "power, strength" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century [1].

Variant of Maj 1.

Short form of Maksim, Maksym or Maksimilijan.

Russian, Belarusian and Macedonian form of Maximus, as well as an alternate transcription of Ukrainian Максим (see Maksym).

Bulgarian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Maximian.

Russian form of Maximilianus (see Maximilian).

Form of Malachi.

A rare masculine name from England's north; it means "little warrior".
It is very scarce outside of the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield and its surrounding towns, however, within this range, it was far more widely used - never common, but present nonetheless. Note that this name has no connection with the Scandinavian girl's name Malin, which is a short form of the French Madeleine.

Scandinavian form of Malcolm.

Danish short form of the Old German name Helmold. This name was used by the Austrian author Rainer Maria Rilke for the title character in his novel The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (1910).

Variant of Melvin.

Polish, Czech and Romanian form of Marianus. It is sometimes used as a masculine form of Maria.

Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian and French form of Marinus.

Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.

In the medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult this was the name of a king of Cornwall. It was also borne by the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910), real name Samuel Clemens, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He took his pen name from a call used by riverboat workers on the Mississippi River to indicate a depth of two fathoms. This is also the usual English spelling of the name of the 1st-century BC Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony).

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.

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-).

From an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).

Swedish and Norwegian form of Matthew, used to refer to the evangelist and apostle also known as Levi.

Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.

Dutch form of Maurice.

Variant of Maverick.

From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).

Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, German and Norwegian form of Mercurius (see Mercury).

Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.

Portuguese form of Messiah.

Scandinavian, Finnish and Breton form of Michael.

Meaning unknown. Possibly related to Mylasos, or the Slavic name element mil- (see Mila, Miloš, Miloslav).

Variant of Måns.

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-).

Danish and Norwegian form of Martin.

From the Hebrew name מֹשֶׁה (Moshe), which is most likely derived from Egyptian mes meaning "son". The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew מָשָׁה (masha) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10).

The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.

In England, this name has been commonly used by Christians since the Protestant Reformation, though it had long been popular among Jews.

Norwegian form of Narfi.

Hebrew and Polish form of Nathan.

Variant of Natanael.

From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).

Swedish form of Nicholas.

Scandinavian form of Nicholas.

Norwegian form of Njáll.

From Old Norse Njǫrðr, derived from Proto-Germanic *Nerþuz. It might derive from the Indo-European root *hnerto- meaning "strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god associated with the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children Freyr and Freya he was a member of the Vanir gods.

Croatian and Hawaiian form of Noah 1, as well as a French variant.

English form of Noël or Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. It is occasionally written with a diaeresis, like in French. A famous bearer is British musician Noel Gallagher (1967-).

Derived from Old Norse oddr meaning "point of a sword".

From the Old Norse name Oddbjǫrn, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and bjǫrn "bear".

From the Old Norse elements oddr "point of a sword" and mundr "protection". This name was coined in the 19th century [1].

From the Old Norse name Oddvarr, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and varr "aware, cautious".

Combination of the Old Norse name elements oddr "point of a weapon" and vǫrðr "guard".

Anglicized form of Old Norse Óðinn, which was derived from óðr meaning "inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanaz. The name appears as Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as Wuotan, Wotan or Wodan in continental Europe, though he is best known from Norse sources.

In Norse mythology Odin is the highest of the gods, presiding over war, wisdom and death. He is the husband of Frigg and resides in Valhalla, where warriors go after they are slain. He is usually depicted as a one-eyed older man, carrying two ravens on his shoulders who inform him of all the events of the world. At the time of Ragnarök, the final battle, it is told that he will be killed fighting the great wolf Fenrir.

Bulgarian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Octavianus (see Octavian).

Variant of Olaf.

From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree" [1]. Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due in part to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist (1838), about a poor orphan living on the streets of London. It became very popular at the beginning of the 21st century, reaching the top rank for boys in England and Wales in 2009 and entering the top ten in the United States in 2017.

From the Old Norse name Ǫlvir, possibly derived from allr "all" or alh "temple, shelter" combined with vir "holy man" or "warrior".

Medieval English, Old Danish, Old Swedish and modern Scandinavian form of the Old Norse name Ormr, which itself was derived from Old Norse ormr "snake, serpent".
The Midgard Serpent, Miðgarðsormr in Old Norse, was sometimes simply referred to as Ormr.

Form of Oscar in several languages. A famous bearer was Oskar Schindler (1908-1974), who is credited for saved over 1,000 Polish Jews during World War II.

Norwegian form of Óttarr.

Swedish and Norwegian form of Paul.

Meaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the Iliad, he did manage to slay the great hero Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.

Form of Patricius (see Patrick) used in several languages.

English variant of Peregrine as well as the German form of Peregrine. Peregrin "Pippin" Took is a character in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Swedish and Norwegian form of Peter.

Modern Danish form of the name Pridbjørn, which was an old Scandinavian form of the Slavic (Wendish) name Predbor or Pridbor, which was possibly derived from Slavic perdŭ "first, in front of" and borti "to fight". It was imported into Danish via the medieval Putbus family, who were Slavic nobles from Rügen in Pomerania.

From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.

Roman cognomen which was derived from the Latin adjective prudens meaning "wise, prudent" as well as "foreseeing, foreknowing".

In the Dutch-speaking world, this name is the Dutch form of Prudentius, whereas in the German-speaking world, it is a variant spelling of Prudenz.

A notable bearer of this name is Prudens van Duyse (1804-1859), a Flemish writer and poet.

French form of Prudens and Prudentius.

Notable bearers of this name include the French athlete Prudent Joye (1913-1980), the Belgian soccer player and coach Prudent Bettens (1943-2010) and Prudent Beaudry (1816-1893), an American politician of French Canadian descent who became the 13th mayor of Los Angeles in 1874.

Dutch and German form of Radulf.

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

Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnarr.

Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnvaldr.

Diminutive of Israel.

Variant of Ralph.

Occitan and Catalan form of Ramirus (see Ramiro).

From the Old German elements rant meaning "rim (of a shield)" and wolf meaning "wolf". The Normans brought this name to England, where there existed already an Old Norse cognate Randúlfr, which had been introduced by Scandinavian settlers. Randolf became rare after the Middle Ages, though it was revived in the 18th century (usually in the spelling Randolph).

Scandinavian, Finnish and Estonian form of Erasmus.

Means "ornament, necklace" in Hebrew.

Norwegian and Danish form of Hrafn.

From the Old Norse name Hreiðarr, which was derived from the elements hreiðr "nest, home" and herr "army, warrior".

Russian form of Renatus. In some cases communist parents may have bestowed it as an acronym of революция наука техника (revolyutsiya nauka tekhnika) meaning "revolution, science, technics" or революция наука труд (revolyutsiya nauka trud) meaning "revolution, science, labour".

Swedish and Norwegian variant of Richard.

Modern form of the Old Norse name Hróðvaldr or Hróaldr, composed of the elements hróðr "praise, fame" and valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.

Modern Norwegian form of Hróarr.

Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.

German form of Rudolf.

Swedish form of Roderick. A notable bearer is Ser Rodrik Cassel from HBO's ever-popular TV show 'Game of Thrones'.

From the Germanic name Hrodger meaning "famous spear", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.

This name was very popular in France in the first half of the 20th century. In the English-speaking world it was popular especially from the 1930s to the 50s. Famous bearers include British actor Roger Moore (1927-2017) and Swiss tennis player Roger Federer (1981-).