SaveroftheFranks's Personal Name List

Finnish form of Abel.

Danish form of Apollonia.

Derived from Arabic عذارى (ʿadhārā) meaning "maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.

Diminutive of Ada 1.

Probably of Illyrian origin, maybe related to Albanian ag meaning "dawn". Alternatively it might be connected to Greek ἀγρός (agros) meaning "field". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian king, the husband of Teuta.

Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Finnish god of the ocean, rivers and fishing.

Possibly from the Finnic root aika meaning "time" (Estonian aeg).

Possibly an Estonian short form of Hendrik.

Estonian form of Ivar.

Belarusian form of Xenia.

Frisian form of a Germanic name, either Aldhard or Adalhard.

Probably a diminutive of names beginning with the Old English element eald "old". It has been in use as an English given name since the Middle Ages, mainly in East Anglia [1]. The British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) was a famous bearer of this name.

Portuguese and Galician form of Alexius.

Form of Alexander in several languages.

Russian form of Alexius. This name was borne by a 14th-century Metropolitan of Kiev who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. It was also the name of a 17th-century tsar of Russia.

Finnish, Bulgarian and Georgian form of Alexius.

Polish form of Alexius.

Derived from Old French alemande, the feminine form of the adjective alemant "German". This name might originally have been given to someone of German ancestry or to someone whose ancestors came from the town of Allemagne in Normandy (present-day Fleury-sur-Orne).

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.

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

Dutch form of Adalhard.

Derived from Italian alta, the feminine form of the adjective alto, meaning "high; deep; big; towering; elevated" and, when used in a poetic context, "grand; sublime; noble" and donna "woman; lady".

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

Derived from Arabic العذراء (al-ʿadhrāʾ) meaning "the maiden". This is the name of a star in the constellation Canis Major.

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

From a medieval form of any of the Old English names Ælfwine, Æðelwine or Ealdwine. It was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the Old English names. As a Scandinavian name it is derived from Alfvin, an Old Norse cognate of Ælfwine.

Contracted form of Adalwin.

Variant of Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.

From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.

Dutch form of Andrew.

Estonian form of Andrew.

From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

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

This name is sometimes Anglicized as Eve or Eva.

French form of Apollinaris. It was adopted as a surname by the Polish-French poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), who based it on his Polish middle name Apolinary.

French form of Apollonia.

Derived from the Germanic name Ercanbald, composed of the elements erkan meaning "pure, holy, genuine" and bald meaning "bold, brave". The first element was altered due to the influence of Greek names beginning with the element ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". The Normans brought this name to England. It first became common in Scotland in the Middle Ages (sometimes used to Anglicize the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, for unknown reasons).

From Ancient Greek Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros), the name of the fourth brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Boötes. It means "guardian of the bear", derived from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear" and οὖρος (ouros) meaning "guardian", referring to the star's position close to the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.

Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

From Arioaldus, a Latin form of Hariwald. This was the name of a 7th-century king of the Lombards.

Modern Greek form of Ares. It is also used as a short form of Aristotelis.

Means "ear of grain" in Latin. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.

Dutch form of Adrian.

French and Catalan form of Herman.

Latinized form of a Germanic name, possibly derived from the element *ermunaz meaning "whole, universal". Other theories claim that it is related to Herman, or that it is not Germanic at all. Arminius was a 1st-century chief of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci. Raised in Rome as a hostage, he eventually became a citizen and joined the army. However, he turned against the Empire, leading the Germans in a surprise attack in the Teutoburg Forest and driving the Romans from Germania.

Dutch form of Arnold.

Means "value, worth" in Finnish and Estonian.

Judeo-Catalan, Judeo-Anglo-Norman and Finnish form of Asher.

Derived from the Italian noun astore meaning "goshawk", which effectively makes this name an Italian cognate of Astor.

A known bearer of this name was the Italian trumpeter and composer Astore Pittana (1912-2010).

Turkish variant of Attila.

Turkish variant of Attila.

Norwegian form of Atli.

Old Norse form of Attila, used in the Norse Völsungasaga to refer to a fictional version of Attila the Hun.

Probably means "little father" from Gothic atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century. Attila was likely the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avitohol.

Occitan form of Adelais.

Means "virgin, maiden" in Arabic.

Variant of Bernhard.

Judeo-Spanish, Judeo-French and Judeo-Anglo-Norman form of Batsheva.

Means "beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.

Although this is a grammatically masculine adjective in French, it is given to girls as well as boys in Britain and the Netherlands. In America it is more exclusively masculine. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.

Derived from Old French bele, the feminine form of the adjective biau, bel "graceful, elegant, courteous; noble; handsome; beautiful".

Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.

Latinized form of Berchar. Used by a 7th century saint.

Variant of Bernhard.

Feminine form of Bernhard.

Polish form of Bernadette.

From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.

Catalan form of Blasius (see Blaise).

Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.

Possibly from Old Irish bó "cow" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of the River Boyne, which is named for her. She was the wife of Nechtan and the father of Aonghus (by Dagda).

Means "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with Jachin).

Derived from Latin bona, the feminine form of the adjective bonus, "good; kind; noble" and filia "daughter".
Due to its meaning, Bonafilia was used as an amuletic name.

Masculine form of Bona.

From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.

Diminutive of Borislav, Borivoje, and other names starting with Bor. It is sometimes used independently.

Diminutive of Borislav, Boris, and other names starting with Bor.

From French Bohort, probably from Old French behort or bohort meaning "jousting" or "jousting lance" [1][2]. First appearing in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, Bors was one of Arthur's knights who quested for the Holy Grail. His father, the king of Gaunnes, was also named Bors.

Germanic given name of uncertain meaning. Some sources state that it is a short form of Germanic given names that contain the element boto meaning "bid, offer" (such as Bodegisel - also compare Bode), whilst others state that it is a short form of Germanic given names that contain the element burg meaning "protection", such as Burghard (see Burchard). Also compare somewhat similar names, such as Anso, Gero and Odo, all of which are short forms of Germanic given names that start with a certain element.

Other sources derive the name from Old High German bôsi meaning "evil", which ultimately comes from Proto-Germanic *bausuz meaning "bad" as well as "inflated, swollen" and "proud, arrogant" (compare the English verb to boast). One source has even linked the name to ancient Greek φόως (phoos) meaning "(to) the light (of day)", but that seems to be a bit of a stretch.

With that said, a known bearer of this name was the 6th-century Frankish duke Bodegisel (also found written as Bodogisel), who is said to have been known by the nicknames Boggis and Boso. Other bearers include the Frankish nobleman and king Boso of Provence (9th century AD) and the German bishop Boso of Merseburg (10th century AD).

Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).

From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.

From an English surname that was derived from Old French bois "wood".

From a Scottish surname that was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute (Bód in Gaelic).

Transferred use of the surname Boyne.

Irish byname, possibly derived from bradach meaning "thieving, roguish, spirited".

Short form of Abraham. This name was borne by Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the Irish author who wrote Dracula.

Short form of names containing brecht, often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright".

Late Latin name meaning "of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin caelum "heaven, sky".

Dutch form of Charles.

French form of Cariulphus, which is the latinized form of both Chariulf and its variant form Cariulf.

This is one of the names by which the obscure 6th-century Frankish saint Chariulf (often found written as Cariulf) is known in France. He was a disciple of the Frankish missionary and saint Marculf (better known under the French names Marcou, Marcouf and Marcoul), who died either on the same day as he did, or several days afterwards. As a result, they were buried together (along with an other disciple of Marculf's) in the same tomb in the abbey of Nanteuil, which was located in the diocese of Coutances in the Cotentin Peninsula of Normandy.

French feminine form of Carolus.

Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper. This is the name of a friendly ghost in an American series of cartoons and comic books (beginning 1945).

From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").

Frankish form of Hariulf. Also compare the similar-looking names Garulf and Gerulf, which can easily get confused with this name and vice versa.

This name was borne by a 6th-century Frankish nobleman as well as by an obscure saint, who was one of the disciples of the Frankish missionary and saint Marculf (c. 490-558). The disciple in question is better known under the French names Cariulphe and Criou.

From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.

From a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in America in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).

From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning "priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron.

From the Late Latin name Constans. It was also used by the Puritans as a vocabulary name, from the English word constant.

Italian variant of Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.

Variant form of Cariou, which is a short form of Carioulf, itself a variant form of Charioulf, which is the original French form of Chariulf. Alternatively, this name is a short form of Crioult, which is a variant form of the aforementioned Carioulf.

This is one of the names by which the obscure 6th-century Frankish saint Chariulf (often found written as Cariulf) is known in France. He was a disciple of the Frankish missionary and saint Marculf (better known under the French names Marcou, Marcouf and Marcoul), who died either on the same day as he did, or several days afterwards. As a result, they were buried together (along with an other disciple of Marculf's) in the same tomb in the abbey of Nanteuil, which was located in the diocese of Coutances in the Cotentin Peninsula of Normandy.

From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). The tribal name means "allies, friends" in the Dakota language.

It was rare as an American given name before 1975. In the mid-1980s it began growing in popularity for boys after a character by this name began appearing on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. It is now more common as a feminine name, probably due to the fame of the actress Dakota Fanning (1994-).

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dálaigh, itself derived from the given name Dálach. Its recent popularity in the Netherlands can be attributed to the Dutch soccer player Daley Blind (1990-).

Variant of Deirdre.

From an elaboration of Welsh del "pretty". This is a recently created name.

Dutch form of Theodoric.

Dutch and Low German short form of Diederik. This name was borne by several counts of Frisia and Holland, beginning in the 10th century. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.

Means "mountaintop" in Turkish.

Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Dubhghall meaning "dark stranger", from Old Irish dub "dark" and gall "stranger". This name was borne by a few medieval Scottish chiefs.

Scottish variant of Dougal.

From the noble title duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader".

From a nickname given to Americans of German descent (though nowadays it refers to a person from the Netherlands). It is related to deutsch, the German word meaning "German".

Latinized form of Egbert, Ecbert and variant of Egbertus

Scandinavian, Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian form of Edwin.

Means "rich friend", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.

Means "bright edge" from the Old English elements ecg "edge, blade" and beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.

Russian variant transcription of Yegor.

Variant transcription of Yegor.

From Turkic el meaning "country, society" combined with the Persian suffix دار (dār) meaning "possessor".

Form of Eldar with the Georgian nominative suffix -ი (-i). It is only used in Georgian when the name is written stand-alone.

Means "son of the Eldar" or "son of the Elves". In J.R.R. Tolkien's appendixes within 'The Return of the King', Eldarion is the son of Aragorn and Arwen. He succeeds Aragorn as 'High King' of the two realms his father reunited.

Alternate transcription of Russian Елизавета (see Yelizaveta).

Anglicized form of Ealar.

Scottish form of Elizabeth.

Icelandic form of Alvar.

Dutch form of Emerentius.

Variant of Emerenzius.

Dutch form of Aemilius (see Emil).

Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.

Masculine form of Endla.

From the name of an Estonian lake, which often appears in folk poetry. The lake's name is ultimately derived from the medieval personal name Ent or Endo.

Form of Enosh used in some versions of the Bible (including the King James Version).

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.

German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Ernest.

Hungarian, Albanian, Croatian and Estonian form of Erwin.

Probably a Hungarian form of Etzel.

Form of Attila used in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.

Anglicized form of Iomhar.

Possibly a variant of Eoforwine.

From an Old German name that was composed of the elements ewa "law, custom" and walt "power, authority". This name was borne by two 7th-century saints from Northumbria who were martyred in Saxony.

Dutch form of Ewald.

French form of Fiachra.

Italian form of Philadelphos.

Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.

Italian and Spanish form of Filibert.

Form of Philip in various languages.

Means "sprout, shoot" in Turkish (borrowed from Greek φυλλίς (phyllis)).

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

Transferred use of the surname Fitzhugh.

Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).

Modern Greek form of Photine.

Modern Greek variant of Photios.

Dutch, Scandinavian and Finnish form of Franciscus (see Francis).

Danish and Dutch form of Frederick. This was the name of nine kings of Denmark over the past 500 years, alternating each generation with the name Christian.

Dutch diminutive of Frederik.

German variant of Finn 1 or Finn 2.

Basque variant form of John.

Means "think" in Chewa.

Means "twins" in Latin. This is the name of the third sign of the zodiac. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux, are named for the mythological twin sons of Leda.

Bulgarian and Georgian form of Gennadius.

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.

Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Gerasimos.

Derived from Greek γέρας (geras) meaning "honour, gift". Saint Gerasimus was a 5th-century hermit who lived near the Jordan River.

Derived from the Germanic elements ger meaning "spear" and bern meaning "bear".

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.

Dutch form of Gerulf.

French form of Germanus.

Russian form of Germanus (or sometimes of Herman).

Roman name derived from Germania, traditionally the area north of the Roman Empire inhabited by early Germanic tribes. This was the agnomen of the Roman general Decimus Claudius Drusus, given posthumously because of his victories in Germania in the 1st century BC. It was also given to his young son, Germanicus Julius Caesar, later a successful general in his own right, who is known to history as simply Germanicus.

Roman cognomen meaning "brother" in Latin. This was the name of several early saints.

Dutch form of Gerald.

Dutch and Frisian form of Gerard.

Derived from Old German ger meaning "spear" and wolf meaning "wolf". This was the name of an 8th-century saint and martyr from Drongen, Belgium.

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.

Anglicized form of Gilleasbuig.

Derived from Proto-Germanic *gaisa, *gaiza meaning "arrow". It is also used in modern German as a short form of names that begin with Gis- such as Gisbert. This was borne by Giso or Gisa of Lorraine (died 1088), a medieval bishop of Wells in England.

From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.

Dutch cognate of Godefrid (see Godfrey).

The name of monster from Old English heroic epic poem "Beowulf".

Italian form of Werner.

Latinization of the Germanic name Gummar, of which the first element is either gumô meaning "man" or gunda meaning "battle, war" (compare Gundemar). In addition to these, one source also connects the first element to got meaning "god" and guot meaning "good". The second element of the name consists of mari meaning "famous".

This name was notably borne by a Frankish saint from the 8th century AD. He lived near what is now the city of Lier in Flanders (Belgium) and is also the patron saint of that city.

Means "famous war", derived from Old High German gund "war" combined with Old High German mâri "famous." Gundemar I was a 7th-century king of the Visigoths in Hispania.

From a surname that was derived from Old English heall "manor, hall", originally belonging to a person who lived or worked in a manor.

From the Old Norse name Halli, a diminutive of names containing the element hallr meaning "rock".

In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).

Diminutive of Hamo. This was the name of a son of Shakespeare who died in childhood. His death may have provided the inspiration for his father's play Hamlet.

Originally a short form of Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of John. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of Henry, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive Henk. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-2021).

German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.

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.

Dutch short form of Herman.

From the Old English name Hereweald, derived from the elements here "army" and weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.

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).

Variant of Harriet.

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

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

Estonian form of Heinrich (see Henry).

German form of Haimo (see Hamo).

Feminine form of Hendrik.

Feminine form of Hendrik.

Dutch short form of Hendrik.

Variant of Henrietta.

Lithuanian and Swedish feminine form of Henrik.

Polish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.

This name was borne by a few medieval saints, including a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon priest and an 11th-century archbishop of Cologne.

Finnish form of Herman.

Latinized form of Herman. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates, with the form Herman typically used in daily life.

Latin form of Herod, as well as the usual Biblical Greek transcription of Ἡρῴδης: after the classical period, the ι in the sequence ωι (often written as a subscript like ῳ) was not pronounced.

Feminine form of Herod. This was the name of a member of the Herodian ruling family of Judea, a sister of Herod Agrippa and the wife of Herod Antipas. She appears in the New Testament, where she contrives to have her husband Antipas imprison and execute John the Baptist.

Variant of Hertha.

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.

Himerius of Immertal (d. ca. 620 AD) was a monk, hermit, and missionary in the Swiss Jura.

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.

Means "bright heart", derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century [2].

Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.

Variant of Hiram. This name was borne by Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), an early leader within the Mormon Church.

Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century [1].

Modern Scandinavian form of Iðunn.

Norwegian variant form of Iðunn.

Finnish form of Hilarius.

Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Hilarion.

Estonian form of Ilmarinen.

Short form of Ilmarinen.

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.

Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.

Strictly feminine form of Inge.

Originally a variant of Ingrid or Ingegerd.

Ingerman (c. 750-818), was a Frankish noble and Count of Hesbaye, son of Sigram of Hesbaye and grandson of Sigramnus of Hesbaye. Ingerman married Rotrude, of unknown parentage. Ingerman and Rotrude had one daughter, Ermengarde, who married into the Frankish royal family, the Carolingians, and was the first wife of King Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne.

From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).

Finnish form of Ingrid or Inger.

From Old Saxon, Old High German isarn meaning "iron".

Old German form of IJsbrand.

Derived from Old Saxon, Old High German isarn "iron" and Old High German wart "guard, ward".

Scandinavian form of Ivor.

Means "he establishes" in Hebrew, derived from כּוּן (kun) meaning "to establish". This was the name of a son of Simeon in the Old Testament. It was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple, Boaz being the other.

Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John [1]. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques [2]. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms jack-o'-lantern, jack-in-the-box, lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack Sprat.

American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name. It is also borne by the actor Jack Nicholson (1937-) and the golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940-). Apart from Nicklaus, none of these famous bearers were given the name Jack at birth.

In the United Kingdom this form has been bestowed more frequently than John since the 1990s, being the most popular name for boys from 1996 to 2008.

From an English surname meaning "son of Jack". A famous bearer of the surname was American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).

French form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.

Basque form of Jacob (or James).

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

Serbian, Croatian and Macedonian form of Jacob (or James).

English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.

This name has been used in England since the 13th century, though it became more common in Scotland where it was borne by several kings. In the 17th century the Scottish king James VI inherited the English throne, becoming the first ruler of all Britain, and the name grew much more popular. In American name statistics (recorded since 1880) this name has never been out of the top 20, making it arguably the era's most consistently popular name. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States from 1940 to 1952.

Famous bearers include the English explorer James Cook (1728-1779), the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819), and the Irish novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941). This name has also been borne by six American presidents. A notable fictional bearer is the British spy James Bond, created by author Ian Fleming in 1953.

Estonian, Polish and Czech diminutive of Jaan or Jan 1.

Variant of Jacques used by Shakespeare for a character in his play As You Like It (1599).

Originally a Frisian short form of names beginning with the Old German element gelt meaning "payment, tribute, compensation". It can also be a Dutch diminutive of Willem.

Dutch form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).

Scots form of Jack. Among the English, this is a slang term for a Scotsman.

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

English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan). It means "Yahweh is gracious", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled Johanan or Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.

This name was initially more common among Eastern Christians in the Byzantine Empire, but it flourished in Western Europe after the First Crusade. In England it became extremely popular, typically being the most common male name from the 13th to the 20th century (but sometimes outpaced by William). During the later Middle Ages it was given to approximately a fifth of all English boys. In the United States it was the most common name for boys until 1923.

The name (in various spellings) has been borne by 21 popes and eight Byzantine emperors, as well as rulers of England, France, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Russia and Hungary. It was also borne by the poet John Milton (1608-1674), philosopher John Locke (1632-1704), American founding father and president John Adams (1735-1826), and poet John Keats (1795-1821). Famous bearers of the 20th century include author John Steinbeck (1902-1968), assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), and musician John Lennon (1940-1980).

The forms Ian (Scottish), Sean (Irish) and Evan (Welsh) have also been frequently used in the English-speaking world, as has the medieval diminutive Jack.

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

Finnish form of Iohannes (see John).

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).

Estonian form of Kaleva. This is the name of a character (the father of Kalevipoeg) in the Estonian epic poem Kalevipoeg.

Hebrew form of Caleb.

From the name of the mythological ancestor of the Finns, which is of unknown meaning. The name of the Finnish epic the Kalevala means "the land of Kaleva".

Variant of Kaleva.

From Japanese 栞 (kan) meaning "bookmark" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Dutch, Czech and Slovene form of Charles.

German and Estonian form of Jasper.

Greek form of Castor.

Basque form of Germanus.

Limburgish short form of Nicholas.

Variant of Cohen.

Short form of Kristofor (Albanian) or Kristjan (Estonian). Saint Kristo the Gardiner (also called Christos) was an Albanian martyred in Constantinople in 1748.

In Georgia, it is a short form of Kristesia and/or Kristepore for men, and of Kristine for women.

Irish form of Laurence 1.

From medieval Latin Laloecen, possibly related to Welsh llallo meaning "brother, friend". This name appears in medieval tales about Saint Kentigern, borne by a prophetic madman at the court of Rhydderch Hael. He may form a basis for Myrddin, who is addressed as llallogan by his sister Gwenddydd in the Red Book of Hergest.

This name is a pet form of names beginning with the Germanic element "land-", such as Landfrid and Landolf.

Finnish and Estonian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna [1].

French form of Leutgar. Saint Léger, Bishop of Autun was a 7th-century Frankish martyr.

Latinized form of Leutgar. This was borne by a 7th-century martyr and bishop of Autun, also known as Léger.

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

English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.

Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.

Means "the sea" in Welsh. According to the Mabinogi he was the father of Brân, Branwen and Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King Leir of the Britons.

Short form of Ludovicus or Ludolf.

From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.

The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).

Means "virile" or "manly" in Gaelic.

Transferred from the surname "Mackey". A short version for any name starting with Mac-.

Short form of Mattias.

Danish short form of Mathias.

French, Catalan and Welsh form of Marcus (see Mark). This name was borne by the Russian-French artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985).

Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922) and the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968).

French diminutive of Marc (as -ou is a French masculine diminutive suffix) as well as a variant form of Marcoulf (perhaps via Marcoul), which is the original French form of Marculf.

This given name has been in use since medieval times, which is evidenced by the fact that Marcou is also a patronymic surname in France.

Last but not least, Marcou is one of the names by which the 6th-century Frankish missionary and saint Marculf is known in France.

Variant form of Marcoulf, which is the original French form of Marculf. This given name is barely in use in France today, so it mostly survives there as a patronymic surname (albeit barely, as the surname is extremely rare there as well).

Last but not least, Marcouf is one of the names by which the 6th-century Frankish missionary and saint Marculf is known in France.

Variant form of Marcoulf, which is the original French form of Marculf. Also compare the similar-looking name Marcule.

This given name is no longer in use in France, but it still survives there as a patronymic surname (albeit barely, as the surname is extremely rare there nowadays).

Last but not least, Marcoul is one of the names by which the 6th-century Frankish missionary and saint Marculf is known in France.

French form of Marculus.

The first element of this name is derived from either Celtic marca meaning "horse" (which is marah in Old High German) or from Germanic marka meaning "border." The second element comes from Gothic vulfs meaning "wolf".

This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish missionary and saint, who is better known under the French names Marcou, Marcouf and Marcoul. He is said to have had the power of healing skin diseases (especially scrofula), which he later bestowed upon the Frankish king Childebert I (c. 496-558).

This given name is either a diminutive of Marcus (as it contains the Latin masculine diminutive suffix -ulus) or it is an independent name on its own, in which case it is derived from Latin marculus meaning "small hammer".

This name was borne by the 4th-century Donatist bishop and martyr Marculus of Bagai (located in what was then Numidia, but is now Algeria). He is regarded as a saint by some, and his feast day is on the 25th or 29th of November.

Polish, Czech and Slovak form of Mark.

Estonian form of Marcus (see Mark).

German, Scandinavian, Finnish and Estonian form of Marcus (see Mark).

Combination of Maria and Lies.

Combination of Maria and Loes.

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

From a Dutch surname, derived from the name of a village in Savoy, France. It is given in honour of the Flemish and Dutch statesman Philips of Marnix (1540-1598), also a notable writer.

Short form of Martin.

Dutch form of Martinus (see Martin).

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).

German and Dutch variant of Marvin.

Portuguese form of Matthew.

Variant of Matthias.

Swedish and Norwegian short form of Matthias.

Norwegian, Swedish and German variant of Matthias.

Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.

Dutch form of Maurice.

Dutch variant form of Meginhard.

Dutch form of Meginhard.

Originally a Frisian short form of names beginning with the Old German element megin meaning "power, strength" (Proto-Germanic *mageną).

Variant of Meine.

Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" (Proto-Germanic *maþlą).

French cognate of Melody.

From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".

From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.

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).

Diminutive of Meine.

Medieval Judeo-Spanish form of Mordecai.

Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".

Geoffrey based parts of Merlin's character on Myrddin Wyllt, a legendary madman and prophet who lived in the Caledonian Forest. Other parts of his life were based on that of the historical 5th-century Romano-British military leader Ambrosius Aurelianus (also known as Emrys Wledig). In Geoffrey's version of the tales and later embellishments Merlin is a magician and counselor for King Arthur.

Variant of Merlin, sometimes used as a feminine form. It has perhaps been influenced by the Welsh word merlyn meaning "pony".

Latinized form of Merovech.

Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.

Welsh variant of Merfyn, as well as the usual Anglicized form.

Variant of Mervyn.

Dutch and German form of Misha. It is occasionally used as a feminine name in Dutch.

Russian diminutive of Mikhail.

Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.

Russian form of Moses.

Persian and Bengali form of Mustafa, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.

West African variant of Mustafa.

Means "chosen" in Arabic, derived from اصطفا (iṣṭafā) meaning "to choose". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad. It was borne by four Ottoman sultans. Another famous bearer was Mustafa Kemal (1881-1938), also known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Original Welsh form of Merlin. It is probably ultimately from the name of the Romano-British settlement Moridunum, derived from Celtic *mori "sea" and *dūnom "rampart, hill fort". Prefixed with Welsh caer "fort", this town has been called Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen in English) from medieval times. It is thought that Caerfyrddin may have mistakenly been interpreted as meaning "fort of Myrddin", as if Myrddin were a personal name instead of a later development of Moridunum [1].

Myrddin appears in early Welsh poems, as a prophet who lives in the Caledonian Forest after being driven insane witnessing the slaughter of his king Gwenddoleu and his forces at the Battle of Arfderydd. His character seems to be based on the North Brythonic figure Lailoken, and perhaps also the Irish figure Suibhne. Geoffrey of Monmouth adapted him into Merlin in the 12th century.

Hebrew form of Naphtali.

Variant of Narduin.

From Persian نرم (narm) meaning "soft, gentle". It is typically masculine in Bosnian, and feminine in Turkish and Arabic.

Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.

Medieval English and Scottish form of Nicholas. This was the middle name of a character in the novel Rob Roy (1817) by Walter Scott.

Russian and Bulgarian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Russian-Ukrainian novelist Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852).

Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.

Simply from the English word ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.

Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".

French form of Octavius.

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

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.

Estonian form of Olaf.

Anglicized form of Odhrán.

Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.

Anglicized form of Odhrán.

Swedish form of Eysteinn.

Brazilian Portuguese form of Octavius.

German form of Audowin.

Means "the one of Ombos", derived from the possessive masculine prefix ⲡⲁ- (pa-) combined with Ombos, the name of several cities in ancient Egypt. Saint Pambo of Nitria was a 4th-century hermit, disciple of St. Anthony. He is venerated by both Catholic and Orthodox Churches on 18 July.

Form of Percival used by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach.

From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover" [1]. Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.

Means "one of the acacia tree", derived from the masculine possessive prefix ⲡⲁ- (pa-) combined with ϣⲟⲛϯ (šonti) "acacia, thorn tree".

From Egyptian pꜣ-dj-ḥp meaning "given by Apis" or "given by Hapi", derived from pꜣ "the; he of" combined with‎ dj "given" and the name of either Apis, the sacred bull, or Hapi, god of the Nile river's annual flooding.

Hellenized form of Patape. Saint Patapios of Egypt was an early Christian desert hermit and thaumaturge. He is venerated by Orthodox Church on December 8th.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Pœcc's town". Pœcc is an Old English given name of unknown meaning.

Means "our God" in Coptic. The name ultimately derives from Egyptian pen "our" combined with Egyptian nuti "God".

Old French form of Percival used by Chrétien de Troyes.

Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur [1]. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.

Coptic form of Egyptian Padipare.

Italian, Venetian and Galician form of Petronius.

From the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. The name of the city meant "brotherly love" from Greek φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love" and ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning "brother". It is also the name of a city in the United States.

Variant of Philibert.

Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.

Means "friend of the people", derived from Greek φιλος (philos) "friend, lover" combined with Greek λαος (laos) "the people."

Derived from the Greek adjective φιλόλογος (philologos) meaning "fond of words, talkative". It consists of the Greek noun φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" combined with the Greek noun λόγος (logos) meaning "word, speech" as well as "reason, consideration, computation".

Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.

Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.

The meaning of this name is still unknown to me at this time. This name was borne by a Coptic saint from the 5th century AD.

From Egyptian pꜣ-šꜣj meaning "the fate", derived from pꜣ "the aforementioned; the; he of" combined with šꜣ "to put in order, establish, decree". This name was borne by a Coptic saint from the 5th century AD.

Diminutive of Apollonius, now commonly used as a feminine name.

Roman form of Greek Πολυδεύκης (Polydeukes) meaning "very sweet", from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and δευκής (deukes) meaning "sweet". In mythology he was the twin brother of Castor and a son of Zeus. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

Russian form of Prochorus.

Galician, Italian and Spanish form of Publius.

Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "public" in Latin. This was among the more common of the Roman praenomina, being borne by (among others) the emperor Hadrian and the poet Virgil.

Derived from Pythios, a name of Apollo, combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician from Samos. He was the founder of a school of philosophy whose members believed that numbers described the universe.

From the Greek place name Πυθώ (Pytho), an older name of the city of Delphi, which was probably derived from Greek πύθω (pytho) meaning "to rot". This was an epithet of Apollo.

Variant and Dutch form of Quentin.

Derived from the Old German elements rat meaning "counsel, advice" and bot meaning "command, order". This was the name of a 7th-century king of the Frisians.

Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnarr.

Meaning uncertain. It is possibly a diminutive of Raimond or it could be related to the Old Estonian word raivo meaning "fury, rage".

Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.

From the Germanic name Raginheri, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and heri "army". Saint Rainerius was a 12th-century hermit from Pisa. The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.

German and Norwegian form of Regina.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Regulus.

Roman cognomen meaning "prince, little king", a diminutive of Latin rex "king". This was the cognomen of several 3rd-century BC consuls from the gens Atilia. It was also the name of several early saints. A star in the constellation Leo bears this name as well.

Estonian form of Gregory.

Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element regin meaning "advice, counsel, decision" (Proto-Germanic *raginą).

Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.

German form of Rayner.

Dutch form of Rayner.

From a Germanic name that was composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and brant "fire, torch, sword". This name belonged to the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669).

From Latin rex meaning "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Derived from Arabic الرجل (al-Rijl) meaning "foot". This is the name of the star that forms the left foot of the constellation Orion.

Finnish, Estonian, Macedonian and Serbian short form of Christopher.

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.

Latinized form of Rocco, used in occasionally German and Dutch.

German form of Rudolf.

Dutch form of Rudolf.

Dutch form of Roger (via Old French).

Similar to Rojin, the name’s meaning can be “light” (the more metaphorical meaning), “daylight”, “glimmering”, “shining”, or all of those combined. The ‘J’ in the name is pronounced the way it is in Jacques.

From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.

Dutch form of Romanus (see Roman).

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

From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf". It was borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Anthony Hope used this name for the hero in his popular novel The Prisoner of Zenda (1894).

Means "eternal" in Arabic.

Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Bashkir and Tatar form of Samad.

Variant of Samet.

Turkish form of Samad.

From a Late Latin name that was derived from scholasticus meaning "rhetorician, orator". Saint Scholastica was a 6th-century Benedictine abbess, the sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia.

Masculine form of Scholastica. This name was borne by an 8th-century exarch of Ravenna.

French form of Scholastica. It is more common in French-speaking Africa than France.

From a Latin variant of Scorpio. This is the name of a zodiacal constellation said to have the shape of a scorpion. According to Greek and Roman legend it was the monster that was sent to kill Orion.

Possibly a Dutch diminutive of Sebastian or Sander.

French form of Zipporah.

Dutch form of the Late Latin name Servatius, derived from servatus "saved, redeemed". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who helped spread Christianity to the Low Countries.

The meaning of this name is still unknown to me at this time. A bearer of this name was Sidhom Bishay, a 19th-century Coptic saint.

Low German form of Sigiward, the Germanic cognate of Sigurd.

The name of a bright star in the constellation Canis Major, derived via Latin from Greek σείριος (seirios) meaning "burning".

Norwegian and Swedish form of Sievert.

Variant of Sigiward.

Finnish form of Sven.

Derived from the Old Norse name Steinn meaning "stone".

From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.

Derived from Greek στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek philosopher.

Bosnian and Albanian feminine form of Suad.

From the Old Norse byname Sveinn meaning "boy". This was the name of kings of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

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

Probably derived from Greek σύμφρων (symphron) meaning "of one mind, brotherly; favouring, propitious" or συμφρονέω (symphroneo) "to agree, think with, be in harmony; notice, understand", both derived from σῠν- (syn-) meaning "with, together" and φρήν (phren) "mind, heart, emotions".

Means "smiling" in Arabic.

Portuguese form of Thaddeus.

From Egyptian tꜣ-Ꜣs.t meaning "she of Isis" or "belonging to Isis", derived from tꜣ "the aforementioned; the; she of" combined with the name of the goddess Isis.

From Estonian taim meaning "plant".

Estonian form of Daniel.

Means "vigour, energy, drive" in Estonian and Finnish.

Means "peaceful, modest" in Karelian Finnish.

Means "bull" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the second sign of the zodiac.

Possibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning "queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.

Derived from Proto-Celtic teutā- meaning "people" or "tribe", likely inferring he was a protector of a people or tribe.

In Celtic mythology he was a god worshipped in ancient Gaul and Britain. Today, he is best known under the name Toutatis, through the Gaulish oath/catchphrase 'By Toutatis!', invented for the Asterix comics by Goscinny and Uderzo. The spelling Toutatis, however, is authentic and attested by about ten ancient inscriptions. Teutates was one of three Celtic gods mentioned by the Roman poet Lucan in the 1st century AD. Some scholars attest he was a cognate of Mercury, while others say that each tribe had its own toutatis.

This was the name of a king of the Teutones who lived in 2nd-century BC Europe. The historical tribe the Teutones (or Teutoni) are generally classified as Germanic, though some ancient writers called them Celts. This name may be a variant of Theudebod, the first element presumably derived from Gaulish teuta or touta "people, tribe" (a cognate of *þeudō). It has also been suggested that the second element could be from Celtic boduus or boduo(s) "crow".

The first element of this name is derived from Celtic teuta or touta "people, tribe" (see also Theudebert). The second element is derived from mat(i) "good, kind" or matu "bear."

From the name for the land of the Teutons. The Teutons (Latin: Teutones, Teutoni) were a Germanic tribe or Celtic people. According to a map by Ptolemy, they originally lived in Jutland. Rather than relating directly to this tribe, the broad term, Teutonic peoples or Teuton in particular, is used now to identify members of a people speaking languages of the Germanic branch of the language family generally, and especially, of people speaking German.

Means "bright people", derived from the Germanic element þeud "people" combined with Old High German beraht "bright." Theudebert I was a 6th-century Merovingian king, grandson of Clovis I through his father Theuderic I.

Derived from the Germanic element þeud "people" combined with Gothic biutan "to offer" or Old High German boto "bid, offer."

Estonian form of Theodoric.

Finnish, Estonian, German and Dutch short form of Timotheus (see Timothy).

Means "hope" in Finnish.

From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the traditional birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).

Means "lord of the spear" in Tupi, from ybyra "wood, stick, spear" and îara "lord, master". This is the name of an 1874 novel by José de Alencar.

Derived from the Old English elements uhta "pre-dawn" and ræd "counsel".

Meaning uncertain. It is possibly from the Old Norse name Uni. It could also come from Latin unus "one".

Possibly from the dialectal Estonian word urm meaning "frost" or "catkin".

Derived from Latin ursus meaning "bear" combined with Germanic mari meaning "famous".

A notable bearer of this name was the Frankish saint Ursmar of Lobbes (644-713).

Coptic form of Osiris.

French form of Waldebert.

From Valbona (or Valbonë), the name of a mountain valley and river in northern Albania.

Form of Walter used in several languages.

Finnish short form of Valdemar and other names containing vald.

Derived from Demotic bne, itself from Proto-Semitic *ban- meaning "son".

The name of a star in the constellation Lyra. Its name is from Arabic الواقع (al-Wāqiʿ) meaning "the swooping (eagle)".