Bertie2's Personal Name List

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.

Feminine form of Gabriel.

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

Feminine form of Gadisa.

Medieval French form of Gareth (appearing in the works of Chrétien de Troyes and in the Lancelot-Grail Cycle).

Probably a variant of Gaheriet (see Gareth). In medieval Arthurian tales this is the name of a brother of Gawain and Gareth. Gareth and Gaheris, whose names are likely from the same source, probably originate from the same character.

From the Greek word γαῖα (gaia), a parallel form of γῆ (ge) meaning "earth". In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the Cyclopes.

From earlier Galaad, likely derived from the Old French form of the biblical place name Gilead. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the 13th-century French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.

Elaboration of Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning "wave from God", using the element יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.

Possibly from Cherokee ᎤᎵᎶᎯ (ulilohi) meaning "attractive, adorable".

Russian and Bulgarian feminine form of Galenos (see Galen).

Feminine form of Gallus.

Roman cognomen meaning "rooster" in Latin. It could also refer to a person from Gaul (Latin Gallia). This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint, a companion of Saint Columbanus, who later became a hermit in Switzerland.

Means "think" in Chewa.

Old Armenian name of unknown meaning.

Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).

Meaning unknown. This was the name of a 7th-century BC Indian philosopher who appears in the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.

Possibly from Sinhala ගයනවා (gayanavā) meaning "sing" [1].

From Sanskrit गायत्र (gāyatra), which refers to a type of hymn or song with a particular meter, derived from गै (gai) meaning "to sing". The original hymm, also called the Savitri, is in the Rigveda and is a dedication to the sun god Savitr. As a goddess, Gayatri is a personification of this hymn. She is identified with Saraswati.

Malayalam form of George, used by Saint Thomas Christians in the Indian state of Kerala (mainly when referring to the saint).

Variant of Gefjon.

Means "lance, spear" in Armenian.

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

Derived from Old Norse geirr "spear" and mundr "protection".

Bulgarian and Georgian form of Gennadius.

Feminine form of Generosus. This name was borne by Generosa of Scillium, a martyr and saint from the 2nd century.

Derived from Latin generosus meaning "well-born, noble, excellent", from genus meaning "birth, origin". This name was borne by a few early saints, including a 4th-century martyr from Ortona dei Marsi in Italy.

From the medieval name Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.

English form of Geneviève.

Medieval French form of Geoffrey.

Form of George in several languages. This name was borne by the German idealist philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831).

Romanian feminine form of George.

Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).

Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.

Medieval Slavic form of George.

Feminine form of George.

Esperanto form of George.

From a Germanic name meaning "power of the spear", from the elements ger meaning "spear" and walt meaning "power, authority". The Normans brought it to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.

There were a few medieval French and German saints bearing this name. It was also borne by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint. In this case his name may represent an Old English cognate of the continental Germanic name.

Feminine form of Gerald. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms The Geraldine.

Derived from the Old German element ger meaning "spear" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name Gerald [1], with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.

Possibly derived from Greek γέρων (geron) meaning "old man, elder". This was the name of a saint martyred in Cologne in the 4th century.

German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Gerard.

Derived from the Old German element ger "spear" combined with (possibly) lahhi "doctor, healer". Saint Gerlach was a 12th-century Dutch soldier who became a hermit.

Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with Old Frankish gair or Old High German ger meaning "spear" (Proto-Germanic *gaizaz).

Dutch and Frisian form of Gerard.

Armenian form of George.

Means "precious, valuable" in Arabic.

Romanian form of Gennadius.

Means "always ready" in Apache [1]. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Mescalero Apache.

Diminutive of Giovanna.

From the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning "feller, hewer", derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning "to cut, to hew" [1]. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world, Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.

Means "north" in Ojibwe.

From an Old Testament place name meaning "heap of witness" in Hebrew. This is a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. Besides being a place name, it is also borne by people in the Bible.

Possibly means "the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian 𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and 𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, with his friend Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.

Swedish and Dutch form of Gilles.

Short form of Georgina, Regina, Luigina and other names ending in gina. It can also be used as a diminutive of Virginia or Eugenia. It was popularized in the 1950s by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida (1927-2023), whose birth name was Luigina.

Italian form of Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word ginepro meaning "juniper".

Old German form of Gilbert.

Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.

The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Old German form of Giselle.

Diminutive of Giulia.

From the Old Welsh name Gwladus, probably derived from gwlad meaning "country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel Puck (1870).

Russian form of Glaphyra.

From Greek γλαφυρός (glaphyros) meaning "polished, subtle".

Feminine form of Gláucio.

Probably an elaboration of the Welsh word glân "pure, clean, holy" or glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.

Russian form of Glykeria.

Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.

The name was introduced to the English-speaking world by E. D. E. N. Southworth's novel Gloria (1891) and George Bernard Shaw's play You Never Can Tell (1898), which both feature characters with a Portuguese background [1]. It was popularized in the early 20th century by American actress Gloria Swanson (1899-1983). Another famous bearer is feminist Gloria Steinem (1934-).

From Greek γλυκερός (glykeros) meaning "sweet". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Heraclea.

Earlier form of Gniewomir.

Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an 11th-century saint who was a bishop of Hildesheim.

Meaning unknown. His name is composed of the kanji 五 (go) meaning "five", 右 (not pronounced) meaning "right-hand, west", 衛 (e) meaning "guard, protect", and 門 (mon) meaning "gate, door". This was the name of a semi-legendary 16th-century samurai who stole from the rich to give to the poor. After a failed assassination attempt on the daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he was boiled alive.

From Welsh gof meaning "smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish Gobannos and Irish Goibniu).

From Persian گوهر (gōhar) meaning "jewel, gemstone". This name is typically feminine in Iran and Armenia, but masculine in Pakistan.

Means "pomegranate flower", derived from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower" and نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate".

Tatar form of Golnar.

Medieval Swedish form of George.

Variant of Gronw. This form appears in the Book of Taliesin [1]. It was borne by the Welsh poet Goronwy Owen (1723-1769).

Bengali form of Gaurav.

Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.

Variant spelling of Goyaałé.

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.

Elaboration of Graça.

From the Roman name Gratianus, which meant "grace" from Latin gratus. Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.

Swedish form of Gregorius (see Gregory).

Danish and Norwegian form of Gregorius (see Gregory).

French form of Gregorius (see Gregory).

German, Scottish, Slovak and Slovene form of Gregorius (see Gregory). A famous bearer was Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), a Czech monk and scientist who did experiments in genetics.

Feminine form of Gregorius (see Gregory).

Short form of Margaréta (Hungarian) or Margrét (Icelandic).

Diminutive of Grete. It is well-known as a character from an 1812 Brothers Grimm fairy tale who is captured, with her brother Hansel, by a witch. The Grimm's story was based on earlier European folktales.

Romanian form of Gregory.

Alternate transcription of Russian Григорий (see Grigoriy), as well as the usual transcription of the medieval Slavic form.

Old Norse cognate of Kriemhild. In the Norse Völsungasaga Grímhildr is the mother of Gunnar and Gudrun, while in the German counterpart the Nibelungenlied Kriemhild is the sister of Gunther and she herself has a role equivalent to Gudrun.

Latin form of Gwendolen used by Geoffrey of Monmouth for the wife of Merlin.

From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar meaning "white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh gwen) and *sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being" [1]. In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.

The Cornish form of this name, Jennifer, has become popular in the English-speaking world.

Possibly derived from the Germanic name Wigmar, which was formed of the elements wig "war, battle" and mari "famous". In the medieval Lancelot-Grail Cycle he plays a minor role as a cousin of Guinevere, who banishes him after he becomes a lover of Morgan le Fey. In modern Portugal and Spain it is a feminine name.

Norman French form of the Norman name Wischard, from Old Norse vizkr "wise" and the Old French pejorative suffix -ard (from Old Frankish hard "hard, firm, brave, hardy"). This was the byname of Robert Guiscard, an 11th-century Norman conqueror of Sicily.

Means "having a body like a rose" in Persian. This was the name of a daughter of the Mughal emperor Babur.

Old Norse variant of Guðbrandr.

From Kyrgyz and Kazakh гүл (gul) meaning "flower", ultimately from Persian گل (gol), combined with Arabic أميرة (ʾamīra) meaning "princess".

Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Georgian form of Golnar, as well as a simplified Azerbaijani variant.

Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Georgian and Urdu form of Golnaz.

Means "rose faced" in Persian. This was the name of a wife of the Mughal emperor Babur.

Derived from the Old German elements gomo meaning "man" and rih meaning "ruler, king".

Old German form of Gunther.

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.

Icelandic form of Gunhild.

French form of Gustav. This name was borne by the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883).

Feminine form of Gwenaël.

Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dydd meaning "day". In medieval Welsh tales this is the name of Myrddin's sister. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls her Ganieda and also makes her the wife of Rhydderch Hael.

Variant of Gwendolen.

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

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

Means "white, blessed" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Gwyn was a king of the Otherworld and the leader of the Wild Hunt. He appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, where he is one of the many who help Culhwch hunt the monstrous boar Trwyth. The story also tells of his rivalry with Gwythyr for the beautiful Creiddylad.

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

Welsh form of Victor. This name appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen belonging to the rival of Gwyn for the maiden Creiddylad. Seeking peace between the two, King Arthur declared that Gwyn and Gwythyr shall only fight once each year on May Day.

From Tibetan རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning "ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).

From Sino-Korean 慶 (gyeong) meaning "congratulate, celebrate" or 敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" combined with 子 (ja) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other hanja character combinations as well. Korean feminine names ending with the character 子 (a fashionable name suffix in Japan, read as -ko in Japanese) became less popular after Japanese rule of Korea ended in 1945.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 八郎 (see Hachirō).

Means "splendour, glory" in Hebrew.

Modern Hebrew form of Hadassah.

From Hebrew הֲדַס (haḏas) meaning "myrtle tree". In the Old Testament this is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther.

Dutch variant of Hedwig.

Indonesian form of Khadija.

From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.

A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain. His family came from the town of Atri in central Italy.

Means "gathering" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Umar, the second caliph, and a wife of Muhammad. It was also borne by the influential mother of Süleyman the Magnificent.

Old German form of Hagen.

Derived from the Old German element hag meaning "enclosure" (Proto-Germanic *hagô). In the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied he is the cunning half-brother of Gunther. He killed the hero Siegfried by luring him onto a hunting expedition and then stabbing him with a javelin in his one vulnerable spot.

Old German variant of Heilwig.

Means "beginning" in Japanese, written with kanji having the same or similar meanings, such as 肇, 一 or 元, as well as others.

Shortened form of Hajnal. The Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty used it in his epic poem Zalán Futása (1825).

Old Norse form of Håkon, as well as the modern Icelandic form.

From the Old Norse name Hallþórr, which meant "Thor's rock" from hallr "rock" combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Halfdan.

From the Old Norse name Hálfdan meaning "half Danish", composed of the elements hálfr "half" and Danr "Dane", originally a nickname for a person who was half Danish.

Feminine form of Halim. Halima was the name of the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.

Alternate transcription of Arabic حليمة (see Halima), as well as the usual form in Malay and Indonesian.

Polish and Belarusian form of Galina.

Derived from the Old Norse elements hallr "rock" and bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".

Icelandic form of Hallbjǫrn.

Derived from the Old Norse elements hallr "rock" and bjǫrn "bear".

Icelandic form of Haldor.

Icelandic feminine form of Haldor.

Derived from Old Norse hallr meaning "rock".

From the Old Norse name Hallsteinn, derived from the elements hallr "rock" and steinn "stone".

Feminine form of Hallþórr.

Old Norse form of Haldor.

Old Swedish form of Hallsteinn (see Hallstein).

Swedish form of Halvard.

From the Old Norse name Hallvarðr, which meant "rock guardian" from hallr "rock" combined with vǫrðr "guard, guardian".

Variant of Halvard.

Ukrainian form of Galina.

Possibly means "brother of Melqart", derived from Phoenician 𐤀𐤇 (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This was a common Punic name. Among the notable bearers was Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general who was the father of Hannibal and Hasdrubal.

Anglicized form of the Danish name Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the main character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales. In the play, Hamlet is a prince of Denmark seeking to avenge the death of his father (also named Hamlet) at the hands of his uncle Claudius.

From Akkadian Hammu-rapi, probably derived from Amorite, another Semitic language. Various meanings, such as "uncle is a healer", have been suggested.

This was the name of an 18th-century BC king of Babylon, of Amorite origin, who expanded the city into a major Mesopotamian power. He is also known for devising a written set of laws, known as the Code of Hammurabi.

Form of Hannah in several languages.

From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Means "one" in Korean.

From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana), which both mean "flower", combined with 絵 (e) meaning "picture" or 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Means "heaven, sky" in Korean.

Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).

Means "true, upright" in Arabic.

From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.

As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation, unlike the vernacular forms Anne and Ann and the Latin form Anna, which were used from the late Middle Ages. In the last half of the 20th century Hannah surged in popularity and neared the top of the name rankings for both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Derived from Phoenician 𐤇𐤍𐤍 (ḥann) meaning "grace, favour". This was a fairly common Punic name.

Means "standing up straight" in Apache. This was the name of a wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief Naiche.

Romanian form of Charalampos.

Old Norse cognate of Harold.

Icelandic cognate of Harold.

Old German variant of Hartwig.

Old German form of Herbert.

Means "plowman, cultivator" in Arabic.

English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).

Means "brave friend" from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wini "friend".

From Japanese 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather", 遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Means "handsome" in Arabic, from the root حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.

Means "Ba'al helps", derived from Phoenician 𐤏𐤆𐤓 (ʿazru) meaning "to help" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. This name was borne by several figures from Carthaginian history, including the 3rd-century BC general Hasdrubal Barca (brother of Hannibal) who fought in the Second Punic War.

Yiddish variant of Ezekiel.

Germanic name, possibly referring to a member of the Germanic tribe of the Hessians, called the Chatti in antiquity.

Frisian short form of Old German given names containing the element hugu meaning "mind, thought, spirit".

Means "white snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and kea "white".

Means "red ruler", from Hawaiian hau "ruler" and mea "reddish brown". Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2008.

Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַוָּה (see Chava).

Czech and Slovak form of Gallus.

Ukrainian form of Gabriel.

English form of a medieval French name appearing in various spellings such as Haueis or Haouys, which were derived from Hadewidis. The name was borne by a number of Norman and Anglo-Norman noblewomen from the 11th to 13th centuries.

From Japanese 颯 (hayate) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.

From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing"). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-) [1].

This is the most common spelling of this name in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand; in the United States the spellings Haley and Hailey are more popular.

From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.

From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.

From the Greek Ἑκάτη (Hekate), possibly derived from ἑκάς (hekas) meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.

Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.

Hector has occasionally been used as a given name since the Middle Ages, probably because of the noble character of the classical hero. It has been historically common in Scotland, where it was used as an Anglicized form of Eachann.

Feminine form of Hefin.

German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.

Derived from the Old German element (possibly) heida "heath, heather" combined with rih "ruler, king".

Low German and Frisian diminutive of Henrik.

Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and fridu "peace".

Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and wig "war".

Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi [1] he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.

From Old Norse heimr meaning "home" (a cognate of Hama). In the Völsungasaga he is a king of Hlymdalir.

Old German form of Henry.

Greek form of Hecuba.

From the name of an active Icelandic volcano, derived from Old Norse hekla meaning "cloak".

English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.

The name was originally used among early Christians in honour of the saint, as opposed to the classical character. In England it was commonly spelled Ellen during the Middle Ages, and the spelling Helen was not regularly used until after the Renaissance. A famous bearer was Helen Keller (1880-1968), an American author and lecturer who was both blind and deaf.

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

Old German form of Eloise.

Portuguese feminine form of Helios.

Meaning uncertain. This is the name of the patron saint of the island of Jersey in the English Channel. He was a 6th-century hermit whose name was recorded in Latin as Helerius.

From the Greek name Ἡλιόδωρος (Heliodoros), derived from the elements ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Heliodoro was a 4th-century bishop of Altino.

Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.

Feminine form of Helvius.

Means "golden" in Sanskrit.

Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.

Old Norse form of Hemming.

Perhaps derived from Old Norse hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.

Feminine form of Hendrik.

Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.

Diminutive of Henrik.

Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.

Slovak form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Latinized form of Heinrich. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Hendrik is typically used in daily life.

French feminine diminutive of Henri.

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

Polish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Ukrainian form of George.

From the Hebrew name חֶףְצִי־בָּה (Ḥeftsi-ba) meaning "my delight is in her". In the Old Testament she is the wife of King Hezekiah of Judah and the mother of Manasseh. The meaning of her name is explained in Isaiah 62:4.

Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

Derived from the Old English elements here "army" and weard "guard". This was the name of an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon leader who rebelled against Norman rule.

Derived from the Old Norse elements herr "army, warrior" and leif "inheritance, legacy".

Possibly from the Old German elements heri "army" and leiba "remainder, remnant, legacy" (or the Old Norse cognates herr and leif, see Herleif). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.

Derived from the name of the Greek messenger god Hermes. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This is also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1610). It is now closely associated with the character Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.

Medieval English form of Henry. Unlike Harry, this form is no longer used.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.

Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").

Persian form of Haidar.

Means "guidance" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".

From Japanese 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" and 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear", as well as other combinations of kanji.

From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with 樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.

From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi 秀吉 being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.

Old Welsh form of Hywel.

Means "held essence", derived from Hawaiian hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.

Means "halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".

Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.

French form of Hildegard.

Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and rih "ruler, king". Hilderic was a 6th-century king of the Vandals. This name was also borne by three early Merovingian Frankish kings, though their name is usually spelled as Childeric.

Variant of Hildegard.

Icelandic form of Hildigunnr.

Old German form of Hilmar.

Means "chief, warrior", a derivative of Old Norse hildr "battle". This is the name of a character in the Norse tale Frithiof's Saga.

Icelandic form of Hildr.

From the Old German name Hildimar, derived from the elements hilt "battle" and mari "famous".

Derived from the Old German elements helfa "help" and rih "ruler, king". This name was borne by two Burgundian kings and two Frankish kings (usually called Chilperic).

From Japanese 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Icelandic form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.

From Japanese 拓 (hiraku) meaning "expand, open, support". Other kanji can also form this name.

From Phoenician 𐤇𐤓𐤌 (Ḥirom) meaning "exalted brother". This was the name of a king of Tyre according to the Old Testament. He may have reigned in the 10th century BC. As an English given name, Hiram came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where it gained some currency.

From Japanese 寛 (hiro) meaning "tolerant, generous", 裕 (hiro) meaning "abundant" or 浩 (hiro) meaning "prosperous" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Phoenician form of Hiram.

From Japanese 寛 (hiroshi) meaning "tolerant, generous", 浩 (hiroshi) meaning "prosperous", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.

From Japanese 大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" or 博 (hiro) meaning "command, esteem" combined with 人 (to) meaning "person", 翔 (to) meaning "soar, glide" or 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation. Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

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

Swedish form of the Old Norse name Hjǫrdís meaning "sword goddess", derived from the elements hjǫrr "sword" and dís "goddess".

Means "pretty, favourable" in Burmese.

Means "helped, rescued, redeemed" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi.

Means "maple" in Icelandic.

Means "majesty of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from הוֹד (hoḏ) meaning "majesty, splendour" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is (probably) the name of a wife of Ezra in the Old Testament. It is also borne by a few male biblical characters.

Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.

Means "heavenly star" from Hawaiian hōkū "star" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.

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.

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

Variant of Honoria. It was brought to England and Ireland by the Normans.

French form of Honoratus or Honorius. A notable bearer was the French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).

Feminine form of Honorius. This name was borne by the sister of the Western Roman emperor Valentinian III. After her brother had her engaged to a man she did not like, she wrote to Attila the Hun asking for help. Attila interpreted this as a marriage proposal and subsequently invaded.

Feminine form of Honorinus.

French form of Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name Honorinus, a derivative of Honorius. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.

Late Latin name that was a derivative of Honorius.

Late Latin name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes.

Means "lightning woman" in Cheyenne [1].

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

Medieval diminutive of Hob.

Feminine form of Horatius.

Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.

From Japanese 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly".

From an Old German byname derived from hraban meaning "raven".

Means "raven" in Old Norse.

Icelandic form of Hrafnhildr.

Old German form of Robert.

Old German form of Roland.

Old German form of Rose.

From Old Norse hróðr "praise, fame, glory" and ríkr "ruler, king" (a cognate of Roderick).

From Old English hroð "fame, glory" and gar "spear", making it a cognate of Hrodger (see Roger). The name became unused after the Normans introduced the continental form. In the Old English poem Beowulf this is the name of the Danish king.

Variant of Hroðgar.

From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and nand meaning "brave". According to some theories, this was the original form of Roland [2].

Ukrainian form of Gregory.

Derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".

Old Norse name derived from hugr "mind, thought, mood" and leikr "play".

Old German form of Hugh. As a surname it has belonged to the French author Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the writer of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.

Old German form of Hubert.

Feminine form of Hugues.

Maori form of Susan.

Derived from the Old German elements hold "favourable, gracious, graceful, loyal" and rih "ruler, king".

Alternate transcription of Arabic حميراء (see Humayra), as well as the usual Urdu transcription.

Means "red" in Arabic. This was a name given by the Prophet Muhammad to his wife Aisha.

Derived from the ethnic term Hun, which refers to the nomadic people from Central Asia who expanded into Europe in the 4th century. The word Hun is from Latin Hunnus, which is possibly of Turkic origin. According to medieval Hungarian legend, the brothers Hunor and Magor were the ancestors of the Huns and the Magyars (Hungarians) respectively.

Diminutive of Hasan. Husayn ibn Ali (also commonly transliterated Hussein) was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. His older brother was named Hasan. The massacre of Husayn and his family was a major event in the split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, which continues to this day. In more recent times this was the name of a king of Jordan (1935-1999).

From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).

Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).

From Sino-Korean 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 惠 (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with 珍 (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.

From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

Hawaiian form of Jacob.

Possibly from Greek Ἰάν (Ian), a variant of Ἴων (Ion) meaning "Ionian", the Ionians being a Greek tribe. The name Ianeira was borne by a few characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids and one of the Oceanids.

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

Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.

Chechen, Ossetian and Kyrgyz form of Ibrahim. This is also a Russian form, used to Russify native versions of the name in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union.

Arabic form of Abraham, also used in several other languages. This form appears in the Quran.

From the Greek Ἴκαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 一郎 (see Ichirō).

Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour" [1]. Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.

This name was borne by the heroine of the Polish writer Juliusz Słowacki's play Fantazy (1841, published 1866).

Means "era" in Hebrew.

Possibly means "interpreter, teacher" in Arabic, related to the root درس (darasa) meaning "to study, to learn". According to the Quran this was the name of an ancient prophet. He is traditionally equated with the Hebrew prophet Enoch.

Means "ardent lord" from Old Welsh iudd "lord" combined with ris "ardent, enthusiastic". This name was borne by Idris the Giant, a 7th-century king of Meirionnydd.

Hawaiian form of Jessica.

Medieval Latin form of Jerome.

Means "good thing" in Igbo, derived from ífé meaning "thing" and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".

Latin form of Igraine.

French form of Ignatius.

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.

Means "good journey" in Igbo.

Derived from the Old German elements is "ice" and brant "fire, torch, sword".

Hawaiian form of Isaiah.

Means "strong" in Hawaiian.

Means "power of the father" in Igbo.

Possibly derived from the name of a Turkish water sprite.

Bashkir form of Eldar, as well as an alternate transcription of Tatar Илдар (see İldar).

Possibly a form of Hilda. This name was borne by the last wife of Attila the Hun.

Meaning unknown, possibly an elaborated variant of Elena.

Means "inspiration" in Arabic.

From the Greek Εἰλείθυια (Eileithyia), which was derived from εἰλήθυια (eilethyia) meaning "the readycomer". This was the name of the Greek goddess of childbirth and midwifery.

Derived from Finnish ilma meaning "air". Ilmarinen is an immortal smith in Finnish mythology, the creator of the sky and the magic mill known as the Sampo. He is one of the main characters in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.

Derived from Georgian იმედი (imedi) meaning "hope".

Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.

Form of Emmanuel used in most translations of the Old Testament. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was a German philosopher of the Enlightenment who is sometimes called the father of modern philosophy.

The name of the daughter of King Cymbeline in the play Cymbeline (1609) by William Shakespeare. He based her on a legendary character named Innogen, but it was printed incorrectly and never emended. Innogen is probably derived from Gaelic inghean meaning "maiden". As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.

Arabic form of Amram, referring to the father of Moses. According to the Quran, this is also the name of the father of the Virgin Mary (analogous to the Christian Joachim).

Slovak form of Emmerich.

Slovak feminine form of Emmerich.

Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.

Portuguese form of Ignatius.

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

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

Meaning unknown, possibly an elaboration of Ina.

Means "carrying rice" in Japanese, from 稲 (ina) meaning "rice" and 荷 (ri) meaning "carry". This is the name of a Japanese divinity associated with prosperity, rice and foxes, represented as both female and male.

Means "care, concern" in Arabic.

From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.

Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).

Icelandic form of Eindride.

Spanish form of Agnes.

Portuguese form of Agnes.

Latvian form of Inés.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Inés.

Strictly feminine form of Inge.

Combination of Inga and Swedish lilla, an inflected form of liten meaning "little".

From the Old Norse name Ingigerðr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with garðr meaning "enclosure, yard".

Old variant of Ingegerd. It can also be considered a diminutive of other names beginning with Ing.

From the Old Norse name Ingimárr, derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with mærr "famous".

From the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with Old German mari "famous", making it a cognate of Ingemar. Ingomar (or Inguiomer) was a 1st-century leader of the Cherusci, a Germanic tribe.

From the Old Norse name Yngvarr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Yngvi combined with herr meaning "army, warrior".

From the Old Norse name Yngvildr, derived from the name of the Norse god Yngvi combined with hildr "battle".

Slovene short form of names ending with ina.

Derived from Cherokee ᎢᏃᎵ (inoli) meaning "black fox".

Means "diamond" in Malay and Indonesian.

Means "sun" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca god of the sun. He was a son of Viracocha.

Means "envy" in Latin. This was the Roman goddess of vengeance, equivalent to the Greek goddess Nemesis.

Means "wealth" in Ibibio.

Means "to soar" in Hawaiian.

From the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from ey meaning "island".

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

Romanian feminine form of John.

Older form of Jove.

Means "fish" in Inuktitut.

Means "honey lips" in Tupi, from yra "honey" and tembe "lips". This is the name of an 1865 novel by José de Alencar, about the relationship between a Tupi woman and a Portuguese man during the early colonial period. Alencar may have constructed the name so that it would be an anagram of America.

Means "will, determination, decree" in Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic إرادة (ʾirāda).

Russian and Spanish form of Herais.

Means "freedom, liberty" in Tatar and Bashkir, of Turkic origin.

Hungarian form of Irene.

Form of Irene in several languages.

From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.

This name has traditionally been more popular among Eastern Christians. In the English-speaking world it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

French form of Irenaeus, also occasionally a feminine form.

Possibly a Portuguese and Galician form of Irene. This was the name of a 7th-century saint (also known as Irene) from Tomar in Portugal. This is also the name of an ancient town in Galicia (now a district of Padrón).

Greek variant of Iris, from the genitive form Ἴριδος (Iridos).

Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.

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

Probably from Wernerius, a Latinized form of the Germanic name Werner. This was the name of a 12th-century Italian scholar and jurist. He sometimes wrote his name as Wernerius.

Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Irene.

Medieval French variant of Isabel. A famous bearer of this name was Isabeau of Bavaria (1385-1422), wife of the French king Charles VI.

Medieval Occitan form of Elizabeth. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.

This is the usual form of the name Elizabeth in Spain and Portugal, though elsewhere it is considered a parallel name, such as in France where it is used alongside Élisabeth. The name was borne by two Spanish ruling queens, including Isabel of Castile, who sponsored the explorations of Christopher Columbus.

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

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

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