Balthasar's Personal Name List

Diminutive of Abigail.

From the Italian adagio meaning "slowly, at ease", a word to indicate a musical composition should be played slowly.

From an English surname meaning "son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to Madison.

Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.

Phonetic spelling of the initials A and J. A famous bearer is Ajay Stevens, a musical artist.

Variant of Aldric.

Variant of Anaïse.

Elaborated form of Andréa (mainly Brazilian).

From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.

Variant of Araceli.

From the name of a plain that appears in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (verse 9:26) in some versions of the Old Testament. This place name was used by Marie Corelli for the title of an 1889 novel, which is probably the reason it gained some currency as a given name just after this time.

Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.

Variant of Arlette in use in Latin America.

An occasionally-recorded variant spelling, perhaps influenced by Darren, with the perk of having Ren as a possible nickname.

Saint Arthelais (544–560) is venerated as a Christian saint.

Daughter of Roman imperial proconsul Lucius and Aithuesa. The emperor Justinian desired her, but she had taken vows of holy chastity and so fled to Benevento, Italy where she stayed with her uncle Narses Patricius. En route she was kidnapped by highway men, but was miraculously freed after three days.

From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.

Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.

From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.

As a given name, it was used on the American sitcom Murphy Brown (1988-1998) for both the mother and son of the main character. By 1998 it was more popular as a name for girls in the United States, perhaps further inspired by a character from the movie Jerry Maguire (1996).

This is the name of a protagonist, a Cree chief's son, in the novel 'Lost in the Barrens' (also sometimes called 'Two Against the North') by Canadian author Farley Mowat, first published in 1956. It won a Governor General's Award in 1956 and the Canada Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award in 1958.

Mowat likely invented this name for his novel. In Lakota, awasin (oyás’iŋ) means 'all, all of a kind, all as individuals but as units together', in Cree tawasin means 'it is a small space' and sakawasin means 'it is a bit narrow'; none of these are names however.

Variant of Axel, used famously by musician Axl Rose (1962-).

Latinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.

From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.

Already an uncommon masculine name, it slowly grew in popularity for American girls beginning in 1978 after the start of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which featured a character with this name. Though it remained more common as a feminine name, it got a boost for boys in 1994 from another television character on the drama Party of Five. In the United Kingdom and Australia it has always been more popular for boys.

From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning "stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.

Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.

Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.

Variant of Brianne. This is the name of a character in George R. R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, as well as the TV show based on the books 'Game of Thrones'. Martin did not originate this form, though, for it was in use in the United States well before the first book in the series was published in 1996.

From an English surname meaning "son of the brown one".

From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Transferred use of the surname Cabell. A notable bearer is jazz musician and bandleader Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (1907-1994).

Created by Shakespeare for the monstrous son of Sycorax in his play The Tempest (1611). It has been suggested that it is a variant or anagram of the Spanish word caníbal "cannibal".

Recently created name intended to mean "what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase che sarà sarà. The phrase que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.

Variant of Keziah.

Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).

Variant of Kayla.

Of uncertain origin and meaning, this name might be a variant of Sera. It was used in the 1988 movie The Land Before Time where it belongs to one of the main characters, a triceratops.

From the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning "landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.

Invented by American car manufacturer Chevrolet in 1964 for a new mid-sized automobile. Chevelle is a combination of Chev-, the first part of the company name, and the suffix -Elle. American alternative metal band Chevelle took their name from the car.

Noted bearers include American boxer Chevelle Hallback (b.1971), one of the most recognized female boxers in the world, and Chevelle Franklyn (b.1974), an award-winning Jamaican reggae and gospel reggae singer.

From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".

Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.

From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.

Diminutive of Constance and other names beginning with Con. It is occasionally a masculine name, a diminutive of Cornelius or Conrad.

Cygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way, deriving its name from the Latinized Greek word for swan.

Form of Cunobelinus used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).

Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

This name was fairly popular at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. The American author F. Scott Fitzgerald used it for the character of Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (1925). The Walt Disney cartoon character Daisy Duck was created in 1940 as the girlfriend of Donald Duck. It was at a low in popularity in the United States in the 1970s when it got a small boost from a character on the television series The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps an elaboration of Dalia 1. This name was used by Mexican-American musician Larry Hernandez for his daughter born 2010.

Probably an elaborated form of Darrell, with an ending similar to biblical names such as Daniel.

Either from the occupational surname Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").

From the name of the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet, Δ. It is also the name for an island formed at the mouth of a river.

Derived from the Greek element Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". This was the name of a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse. It has been used as an American given name since the middle of the 20th century.

Probably derived from the French surname D'orival (see Orival).

Known bearers of Dorival as a first name include the Brazilian singer-songwriter Dorival Caymmi (1914-2008) and former Brazilian soccer player Dorival Júnior (b. 1962).

Brazilian Portuguese form of Dorothea.

From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.

From Welsh eilon meaning "deer, stag" or "song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation The Black Cauldron (1985).

From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.

The popularity of the name Eleanor in England during the Middle Ages was due to the fame of Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as two queens of the following century: Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I. More recently, it was borne by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the wife of American president Franklin Roosevelt.

Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).

From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.

From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name Emma.

From an Irish surname that was derived from inis meaning "island".

From the character Farina in the series Our Gang played by the male child actor Allen Hoskins. It was aired in Germany under the title Die kleinen Strolche.

From a German surname that was derived from the Latin name Faustus. This is the name of a character in German legends about a man who makes a pact with the devil, via his representative Mephistopheles. He is believed to be based on the character of Dr. Johann Faust (1480-1540). His story was adapted by writers such as Christopher Marlowe and Goethe.

From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.

From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Transferred use of the surname Finch.

This is the main character in the French fairy tale Finette Cendron by Madame d'Aulnoy, about a clever girl named Fine-Oreille, which means "sharp ear" or "delicate ear", who is called Finette. It is said to mean "little cunning girl".

From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.

English form of an Old German name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from fridu "peace" and rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.

The Normans brought the name to England in the 11th century but it quickly died out. It was reintroduced by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. A famous bearer was Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), an American ex-slave who became a leading advocate of abolition.

Gaboimilla is a mythical queen of a tribe of Amazons, all-women warrior groups, said to reside in Southern Chile during the period of the Spanish Conquest. Her people were said to have allowed males only as a means of procreation and exiled male children to live with their fathers. Gaboimilla's kingdom was said to have been rich in gold and skilled in the manufacture of luxury goods but subordinate to the Leuchengorma people. The existence of Gaboimilla and her people has not been proven and they could merely be mythological.

Transferred use of the surname Gahan.

Gahan Wilson is an American cartoonist.

Means "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are galad "radiant" and riel "garlanded maiden". Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.

From the name of the region in Palestine (see Galilee).

From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).

From the English word garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English gernet meaning "dark red".

In the case of Indian actress Genelia D'Souza (1987-), it is a portmanteau of the names Jeanette and Neil (the names of her parents). According to the actress herself, the name also means "rare" or "unique".

Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

Variant of Gray.

From Gyða, an Old Norse diminutive of Guðríðr. It was borne by a Danish noblewoman who married the English lord Godwin of Wessex in the 11th century. The name was used in England for a short time after that, and was revived in the 19th century.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.

Diminutive of Harriet.

From Old English, meaning "from Hal's island". The name is probably given in honour of the American war hero Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, Jr. (1882-1959).

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.

Dutch variant of Hendrik.

This was the Red Queen's real name in Tim Burton's film "Alice in Wonderland". Her name was a play on the English word irascible meaning "easily angered", with Beth added to it in order to make it look more like a real feminine name.

Means "related to Iris or rainbows", ultimately from Greek ἶρις (genitive ἴριδος). It briefly entered the American top 1000 list in 1995, likely due to a Mexican singer named Iridián.

Spanish form of Yvelise, especially used in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

Medieval variant of Jack. It is also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob.

Invented name, probably inspired by names such as Jared and Gareth. This is the name of the Goblin King, played by David Bowie, in the movie Labyrinth (1986).

Jaskier (also known as Dandelion) is a character in the series of fantasy novels called The Witcher written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Jaskier is a poet, minstrel, bard, & the best friend of the main character, Geralt of Rivia. Jaskier means 'buttercup' in Polish which is a bright yellow flower of the genus Ranunculus. His other alias' are Dandelion, Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove, The Crimson Avenger, & Nightingale Prince.

From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer" [1], derived from Old Persian ganzabarah. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.

Corruption of names like Melissa or Alyssa but starting with a 'j'. It may also take influence from Jessica.

Variant of Gillian.

Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Diminutive of Julia or Julian.

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).

Variant of Kaylee.

From the English word katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.

The common name for Omicron2 Eridani, or 40 Eridani, a triple star system in the constellation Eridanus. In the TV series Star Trek, 40 Eridani is the location of the planet Vulcan, home of Mr Spock. Its name comes from the Arabic for "eggshells".

Meaning unknown, perhaps an invented name.

Name of football player Kema Jack born in 1982 in Papua New Guinea.

Variant of Kylie.

From the name of the city of Kimberley in South Africa, which was named after Lord Kimberley (1826-1902). The city came to prominence in the late 19th century during the Boer War. Kimberly has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, eventually becoming very popular as a feminine name.

Possibly an elaboration of Kiri or Kira 2. It seems to have been brought to attention in Australia in the 1970s by the actress Kirrily Nolan.

From the English word for the type of songbird.

From the Roman cognomen Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England, partly because of a second saint by this name, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury. Likewise it has been common in Ireland due to the 12th-century Saint Laurence O'Toole (whose real name was Lorcán). Since the 19th century the spelling Lawrence has been more common, especially in America. A famous bearer was the British actor Laurence Olivier (1907-1989).

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.

From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-) [1].

Diminutive of Llewelyn. The Welsh -yn suffix creates the singular of a masculine noun; in naming it creates singular meaning and a diminutive form. As such, Llewyn is documented as a given name and as a diminutive of Llewelyn already by the 1500's in Wales.

Lewis has been used to translate Llewyn and Llywelyn since the English invasion of Wales in 1280. English name books state Llewyn is Welsh for Lewis. However, Llewyn has distinct etymology as given by Welsh sources.

Llewyn is the main character in the 2013 comedy drama film 'Inside Llewyn Davis'.

Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". Occasionally it is used as a diminutive of the name Luz. It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.

Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe [1], which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).

Transferred use of the Irish surname Madigan or from the Gaelic given name Madagán or Madadhán means "little dog".

It is the name of a primary character, Madigan "Maddie" Kinnick in Lauren Myracle's 'ttyl' series of young adult novels.

From an English surname that meant "unfortunate" in Norman French. It first became common in the 1980s due to the American sitcom Family Ties (1982-1989), which featured a character by this name.

This is the name of Woody Allen's daughter. She was named after jazz musician Manzie Johnson.

From Μαριάμη (Mariame), the form of Maria used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.

From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.

A combination May and Anne.

Hispanic variant of Myra.

From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).

From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.

Ancient Attic Greek variant of Melissa.

The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.

From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "boundary gate" in Old English.

In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of Miles.

Means "sunflower" in Spanish.

Perhaps a combination of the honorific term miss and the name Atha. A typhoon in 1950 was named Missatha.

This meaning of this name is Chocolate-coffee flavored because the coffee flavor "Mocha" originated in Yemen. There's also a town in Yemen called Mocha.

Used by Edgar Allan Poe for the title character of his Gothic short story Morella (1835), in which case he may have invented it by adding a diminutive suffix to Latin mors "death". Alternatively, it may be derived from the name of the ancient Spanish city, the Italian name for the poisonous weed black nightshade (species Solanum nigrum), or from the Italian surname Morello, all of them ultimately deriving from Greek μαῦρος (mauros) meaning "black". This name was also used as a rare medieval Scottish variant of Muriel.

The name of an antagonist on the Hit TV show, The Walking dead.

Name of unknown meaning. Oland is possibly comprised of the Swedish elements ö, meaning "island," and land, meaning "land."

Öland is the second largest Swedish island.

The name of a princess of Norway in the medieval Spanish tale of the knight Amadis of Gaul. It is perhaps related to Greek ὀλύνθη (olynthe) meaning "wild fig tree" (similar to Olindo). Olinda is also the name of a Brazilian city.

From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".

From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys [1].

Famous bearers include Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), the first president of the Continental Congress, and American football quarterback Peyton Manning (1976-).

From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.

Derived from Latin stella polaris, meaning "pole star". This is the proper Latin name of the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. It is borne by a character (real name Lorna Dane) in Marvel's X-Men line of comics, created in 1968.

From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".

Combination of Rae and Wyn (used especially in New Zealand).

Diminutive of Raisa 2.

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).

As a given name, it took off in popularity during the 1990s. It has been more common for girls in the United States probably because of its similarity to other names such as Megan, Morgan and Regan.

Variant of Reisel.

Possible Anglicization of Ronne, may be inspired by the River Rhône.

From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse rá "roebuck" and skógr "wood, forest".

Derived from English rose gold, the name of a gold-copper alloy which is sometimes also used to describe a colour that is golden yet somewhat reddish.

This name is the middle name of the British-Vincentian singer Marlon Roudette (b. 1983).

Variant of Roxana.

Diminutive of Sarah.

From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (zaʿfarān), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".

originates from arabic word

From the Hebrew name שִׁםְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "sun". Samson was an Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.

This name was known among the Normans due to the Welsh bishop Saint Samson, who founded monasteries in Brittany and Normandy in the 6th century. In his case, the name may have been a translation of his true Celtic name. As an English name, Samson was common during the Middle Ages, having been introduced by the Normans. It is currently most common in Africa, especially in countries that have an British colonial past.

From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.

From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).

“Brave men”

From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient" [1]. As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.

Invented name, based on the sounds found in other names such as Sheila and Kayla.

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

English form of Søren.

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.

Created by Shakespeare for a witch character in his play The Tempest (1611). The character has died by the time the play begins, so she is only spoken of and not seen. The name's meaning is unknown, though it might have been inspired by Latin corax or Greek κόραξ (korax) meaning "raven", referring to the 5th-century BC Greek rhetorician Corax of Syracuse. One of the moons of Uranus bears this name in the character's honour.

Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".

From Tabrett Bethell, an Australian actress and former model

Most likely a combination of Tais with Mary. This name is best known for being the name of the Cuban-born Italian volleyball player Taismary Agüero (b. 1977).

Probably a feminine form of Tyrone. Actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian created it for their daughter Taryn Power (1953-).

Variant of Tace

Variant of Tegan. It also coincides with a rare Irish surname Teagan. This name rose on the American popularity charts in the 1990s, probably because of its similarity to names like Megan and Reagan.

Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".

Variant of Terence.

Apparently a blend of Tessa and Sarah.

From tiger lily, a name that has been applied to several orange varieties of lily (such as the species Lilium lancifolium). Tiger Lily is also the name of the Native American princess in J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904).

Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.

Diminutive of Victoria or Custodia used among Hispanic Americans.

From a surname meaning "wagoner" in Old English.

Originally from a surname that denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. It is now more likely used in reference to the ancient city of Troy that was besieged by the Greeks in Homer's Iliad. The city's name, from Greek Τροία (Troia), is said to derive from its mythical founder Τρώς (Tros), but is more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. This name was popularized in the 1960s by the actor Troy Donahue (1936-2001) [1], who took his stage name from that of the ancient city.

Probably derived from Latin umbra meaning "shadow". This name was created by Alexander Pope for a "dusky, melancholy sprite" in his poem 'The Rape of the Lock' (1712). A moon of Uranus bears this name in his honour.

From the English word meaning "wide river valley".

Short form of names containing van, such as Vance or Ivan.

Late Latin name (see Beatrix). This was the name of a 4th-century Italian saint.

From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

English form of Gwrtheyrn.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).

From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.

Meaning unknown, perhaps a variant of Yair. A known bearer of this name is Mexican singer and actor Yahir Othón Parra (1979-), commonly known as Yahir, whose career began on the music reality show La Academia in 2002, the first year Yahir appeared in the top 1000 names in the United States.

From an English surname of unknown meaning. It was introduced as a given name by American author Zane Grey (1872-1939). Zane was in fact his middle name — it had been his mother's maiden name.

Variant of Zaria or Sariah.

Short form of Ezekiel.

Short form of Zephaniah.

From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.

Variant of Zoe.