lolitadaytona's Personal Name List
Adreena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: ah-DREE-nah
Adriana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, English, Dutch
Other Scripts: Адриана(Bulgarian)
Pronounced: a-dree-A-na(Italian, Dutch) a-DHRYA-na(Spanish) a-DRYA-na(Polish) ay-dree-AN-ə(English) ay-dree-AHN-ə(English)
Feminine form of
Adrian. A famous bearer is the Brazilian model Adriana Lima (1981-).
Aelita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature, Russian, Latvian
Other Scripts: Аэлита(Russian)
Pronounced: ui-LYEE-tə(Russian)
Created by Russian author Aleksey Tolstoy for his science fiction novel Aelita (1923), where it belongs to a Martian princess. In the book, the name is said to mean "starlight seen for the last time" in the Martian language.
Agnes
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian, Late Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἅγνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AG-nis(English) AK-nəs(German) AHKH-nehs(Dutch) ANG-nehs(Swedish) OW-nes(Danish)
Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἅγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning
"chaste".
Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.
As an English name it was highly popular from the Middle Ages until the 17th century. It was revived in the 19th century and was common into the 20th, but it fell into decline after the 1930s. It last appeared on the American top 1000 rankings in 1972.
Aisha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Urdu, Hausa, Swahili, Kazakh, African American
Other Scripts: عائشة(Arabic) عائشہ(Urdu) Айша(Kazakh)
Pronounced: ‘A-ee-sha(Arabic) ie-EE-shə(English)
Means
"living, alive" in Arabic. This was the name of
Muhammad's third wife, the daughter of
Abu Bakr. Some time after Muhammad's death she went to war against
Ali, the fourth caliph, but was defeated. Her name is used more by Sunni Muslims and less by Shias.
This name began to be used in America in the 1970s, possibly inspired by Princess Aisha of Jordan (1968-), the daughter of King Hussein and his British-born wife. It received a boost in popularity after Stevie Wonder used it for his first daughter in 1975.
Alessandra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: a-lehs-SAN-dra
Aliza
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: עַלִיזָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ah-LEE-zah
Means "joyful" in Hebrew.
Almeta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: awl-MEE-də, al-MEE-də
Amartya
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Bengali
Other Scripts: অমর্ত্য(Bengali)
Pronounced: AW-mort-to
Means "immortal, deathless", from Sanskrit अ
(a) meaning "not" and मृत
(mrta) meaning "dead".
Ameria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Medieval English
Of uncertain origin and meaning. Current theories include a feminine form of Old French
Amauri (see
Amaury).
Andie
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-dee
Annabel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: AN-ə-behl(English) ah-na-BEHL(Dutch)
Variant of
Amabel, with the spelling altered as if it were a combination of
Anna and French
belle "beautiful". This name appears to have arisen in Scotland in the Middle Ages.
Aria 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: AHR-ee-ə
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.
Ariadne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἀριάδνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-REE-AD-NEH(Classical Greek) ar-ee-AD-nee(English)
Means
"most holy", composed of the Greek prefix
ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek
ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek
mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King
Minos. She fell in love with
Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god
Dionysus.
Arianna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, English (Modern)
Pronounced: a-RYAN-na(Italian) ar-ee-AN-ə(English) ar-ee-AHN-ə(English)
Arinya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: อริญญา(Thai)
Pronounced: a-reen-YA
Derived from Thai ปริญญา (parinya) meaning "knowledge, awareness, understanding".
Arizona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American)
Pronounced: ar-i-ZO-nə(American English)
From the name of the state in the Southwestern region of the United States. Its etymology is uncertain; it may be derived from O'odham alĭ ṣonak meaning "small spring", via the Spanish intermediary form Arizonac. Alternatively, it could derive from Basque haritz ona meaning "good oak", brought by Basque settlers.
Asha 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Other Scripts: आशा(Hindi, Marathi) ಆಶಾ(Kannada) ആശാ(Malayalam)
Derived from Sanskrit
आशा (āśā) meaning
"wish, desire, hope".
Aspasia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1], Greek
Other Scripts: Ἀσπασία(Ancient Greek) Ασπασία(Greek)
Pronounced: A-SPA-SEE-A(Classical Greek)
Derived from Greek
ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning
"welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).
Astoria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: as-TAWR-ee-ə
Feminine form of
Astor. This is also the name of several American towns, after the businessman John Jacob Astor.
Astraea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀστραία(Ancient Greek)
Latinized form of the Greek
Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek
ἀστήρ (aster) meaning
"star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
Atara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: עֲטָרָה(Hebrew)
Avalon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AV-ə-lahn
From the name of the island paradise to which King
Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh
afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.
Aviva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֲבִיבָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ah-VEE-vah
Feminine variant of
Aviv.
Avril
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French (Rare), English (Rare)
Pronounced: A-VREEL(French) AV-ril(English)
French form of
April. A famous bearer is the Canadian musician Avril Lavigne (1984-).
Azalea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-ZAY-lee-ə
From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek
ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Azaliya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Азалия(Russian)
Azra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Persian, Urdu
Other Scripts: عذراء(Arabic) عذرا(Persian, Urdu)
Pronounced: ‘adh-RA(Arabic)
Means "virgin, maiden" in Arabic.
Beatrix
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late Roman
Pronounced: beh-A-triks(German) BEH-a-triks(German) BEH-aw-treeks(Hungarian) BEH-ya-triks(Dutch) BEE-ə-triks(English) BEE-triks(English)
Probably from
Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name
Viator meaning
"voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin
beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century
saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.
In England the name became rare after the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, more commonly in the spelling Beatrice. Famous bearers include the British author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the creator of Peter Rabbit, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (1938-).
Bela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Georgian, Spanish, Portuguese
Other Scripts: ბელა(Georgian)
Georgian short form of
Izabela as well as a Spanish and Portuguese short form of
Isabela. Also compare the Portuguese adjective
bela meaning "beautiful".
Notable Georgian bearers of this name include the actress Bela Mirianashvili (1938-1992) and the chess grand master Bela Khotenashvili (b. 1988).
Bella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHL-ə
Short form of
Isabella and other names ending in
bella. It is also associated with the Italian word
bella meaning
"beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular
Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.
Belladonna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: behl-ə-DAHN-ə(English)
From the name of a toxic plant, also called deadly nightshade (species Atropa belladonna). The plant's name is of Italian origin, probably derived from Latin bladona "mullein plant" and altered through association with the Italian words bella "beautiful, fair" and donna "lady".
Beretta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Rare)
Pronounced: bər-EHT-ə(American English)
Transferred use of the surname
Beretta. The usage in the USA is probably influenced by the fact that there is a producer of firearms named Beretta.
Biancabella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Folklore
Combination of
Bianca and Italian
bella, meaning "white-beautiful" in Italian. This is the name of the title character of the Italian fairy tale Biancabella and the Snake, written by Giovanni Francesco Straparola.
Bria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BREE-ə
Brigitta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, Hungarian
Pronounced: bree-GI-ta(German) BREE-geet-taw(Hungarian)
German, Dutch and Hungarian form of
Bridget.
Cabela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Calafia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature
Probably invented by the 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who likely based it on
califa, the Spanish form of Arabic
خليفة (khalīfa), an Islamic title meaning
"successor" (see
Khalifa). In Montalvo's novel
The Adventures of Esplandián it is borne by the queen of the island of California (the inspiration for the name of the American and Mexican states).
Calypso
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Καλυψώ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: kə-LIP-so(English)
From Greek
Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant
"she that conceals", derived from
καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek
myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
Cambria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various (Rare)
Pronounced: KAM-bree-ə(English)
Latin form of the Welsh Cymru, the Welsh name for the country of Wales, derived from cymry meaning "the people". It is occasionally used as a given name in modern times.
Camila
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: ka-MEE-la(Spanish)
Spanish and Portuguese form of
Camilla.
Cara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAHR-ə, KEHR-ə, KAR-ə
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Carabel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Rare)
Combination of
Carrie and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful").
Carmela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Galician
Pronounced: kar-MEH-la(Italian, Spanish) kahr-MEH-lu(Galician)
Italian, Spanish and Galician form of
Carmel.
Carmella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: kahr-MEHL-ə
Carmen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German
Pronounced: KAR-mehn(Spanish, Italian) KAHR-mən(English)
Medieval Spanish form of
Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word
carmen meaning
"song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera
Carmen (1875).
Carmilla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature
Used by Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu for the title character of his Gothic novella 'Carmilla' (1872), about a lesbian vampire. Le Fanu probably based the name on
Carmella.
Cecilie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Pronounced: seh-SEEL-yeh(Norwegian, Danish)
Norwegian and Danish form of
Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of
Cecílie.
Celosia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Rare, Archaic)
Taken from the name of the flower, whose name is derived from Greek κηλος (kelos) "burned".
Chalice
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: CHAL-is
Means simply "chalice, goblet" from the English word, derived from Latin calix.
Chalita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: ชลิตา(Thai)
Pronounced: cha-lee-TA
Chantalle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: shawn-TAL
Chantara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: จันทรา(Thai)
Pronounced: CHAN-TAH-RAH
This is a feminine name of Thai origin. It means "moon water".
Chantelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: shahn-TEHL
Chapel
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Transferred use of the surname
Chapel and a "subordinate place of worship added to or forming part of a large church or cathedral, separately dedicated and devoted to special services," from Old French
chapele (12c., Modern French
chapelle), from Medieval Latin
capella, cappella "chapel, sanctuary for relics," literally "little cape," diminutive of Late Latin
cappa "cape."
Charity
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHEHR-ə-tee, CHAR-ə-tee
From the English word
charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin
caritas "generous love", from Latin
carus "dear, beloved".
Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name
Charity came into use among the
Puritans after the
Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Chariya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: จริยา(Thai)
Pronounced: cha-ree-YA
Means "conduct, behaviour" in Thai.
Chavela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Chavelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Jamaican Patois (Rare), American (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: shə-VEL(American)
Cherry
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: CHEHR-ee
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a
diminutive of
Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Chevelle
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Popular Culture (Rare)
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.
Cheyenne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: shie-AN
Derived from the Lakota word šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Claudia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: KLAW-dee-ə(English) KLOW-dya(German, Italian, Romanian) KLOW-dee-a(Dutch, Latin) KLOW-dhya(Spanish)
Feminine form of
Claudius. It is mentioned briefly in the
New Testament. As a Christian name it was very rare until the 16th century.
Consuela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Rare)
Pronounced: kon-SWEH-la
Cori
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAWR-ee
Cupid
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
Pronounced: KYOO-pid(English)
From the Latin
Cupido meaning
"desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of
Venus and
Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was
Eros.
Dana 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian, Czech, Slovak, German, Hebrew
Other Scripts: דָּנָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: DA-na(Czech, Slovak, German)
Danica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, English
Other Scripts: Даница(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: DA-nee-tsa(Serbian, Croatian) DA-nyee-tsa(Slovak) DAN-i-kə(English)
From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Daria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Polish, Romanian, English, Croatian, Russian, Late Roman
Other Scripts: Дарья(Russian) Δαρεία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DA-rya(Italian, Polish, Romanian) DAHR-ee-ə(English) DAR-ee-ə(English)
Feminine form of
Darius.
Saint Daria was a 3rd-century woman who was martyred with her husband Chrysanthus under the Roman emperor Numerian. It has never been a particularly common English given name. As a Russian name, it is more commonly transcribed
Darya.
Darina 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian
Other Scripts: Дарина(Bulgarian, Russian)
Pronounced: DA-ree-na(Slovak) DA-ri-na(Czech)
Derived from the Slavic word
darŭ meaning
"gift". It is sometimes used as a
diminutive of names beginning with
Dar.
Deana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: dee-AN-ə, DEEN-ə
Deena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DEEN-ə
Delphine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: DEHL-FEEN
Demetria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1], English
Other Scripts: Δημητρία(Ancient Greek)
Desiree
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: dehz-i-RAY
English form of
Désirée. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie
Désirée (1954).
Devonne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: də-VAWN
Feminine variant of
Devon.
Diamonique
Gender: Feminine
Usage: African American (Rare), English (Rare)
Pronounced: DAY-MOWNIYK
Presumably a variant of
Dominique influenced by the English word
diamond.
Dilara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish
Dimitra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Δήμητρα(Greek)
Pronounced: DHEE-mee-tra
Elena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Other Scripts: Елена(Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian) Έλενα(Greek)
Pronounced: EH-leh-na(Italian, Czech, German) eh-LEH-na(Spanish, German) eh-lyeh-NU(Lithuanian) yi-LYEH-nə(Russian) i-LYEH-nə(Russian) EHL-ə-nə(English) ə-LAY-nə(English)
Form of
Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian
Елена (see
Yelena).
Elettra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: eh-LEHT-tra
Elle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: EHL
Diminutive of
Eleanor and other names beginning with
El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun
elle meaning "she".
Already growing in popularity due to Australian model Elle Macpherson (1964-), this name received a boost in the United States after the release of the 2001 movie Legally Blonde featuring the main character Elle Woods. In the United Kingdom the name was already fairly common at the time the movie came out, and it actually started declining there shortly afterwards. A famous bearer is American actress Elle Fanning (1998-).
Elysia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: i-LIZ-ee-ə(English) i-LIS-ee-ə(English) i-LEE-zhə(English)
From
Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman
mythology.
Eris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἔρις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EHR-is(English)
Means
"strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek
mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of
Ares.
Esla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indian (Rare)
Evie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EE-vee, EHV-ee
Faith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAYTH
Simply from the English word
faith, ultimately from Latin
fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the
Puritans in the 17th century.
Fantasia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: African American (Modern, Rare), English (American, Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: fan-TAY-zhə(English)
From the Italian word for "fantasy, imagination", ultimately deriving from Greek φαντασία (phantasia). A known bearer is the American R&B singer Fantasia Barrino (1984-).
Flutura
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Albanian
Means "butterfly" in Albanian.
Freya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
Pronounced: FRAY-ə(English) FRAY-a(German)
From Old Norse
Freyja meaning
"lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse
mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.
Frieda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, English
Pronounced: FREE-da(German) FREE-də(English)
Geneva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: jə-NEE-və
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.
Genevieve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JEHN-ə-veev
Gloriana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: glawr-ee-AN-ə
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Grace
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: GRAYS
From the English word
grace, which ultimately derives from Latin
gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the
Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.
This name was very popular in the English-speaking world at the end of the 19th century. Though it declined in use over the next 100 years, it staged a successful comeback at the end of the 20th century. The American sitcom Will and Grace (1998-2006) may have helped, though the name was already strongly rising when it premiered. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in 2006.
Guinevere
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arthurian Cycle
Pronounced: GWIN-ə-vir(English)
From the Norman French form of the Welsh name
Gwenhwyfar meaning
"white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *
windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh
gwen) and *
sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being"
[1]. In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King
Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by
Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir
Lancelot.
The Cornish form of this name, Jennifer, has become popular in the English-speaking world.
Haiti
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Modern, Rare)
From the name of the Caribbean country.
Harley
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHR-lee
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English
hara "hare" or
hær "rock, heap of stones" and
leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera
Guiding Light in 1987.
Harlow
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHR-lo
From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English
hær "rock, heap of stones" or
here "army", combined with
hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.
Heidi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
Pronounced: HIE-dee(German, English) HAY-dee(Finnish)
German
diminutive of
Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel
Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Hiacynta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish
Himaya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Filipino, Cebuano
Pronounced: /hi-má-yâ/
Transferred use of the surname, which means "glory," "bliss," or "rapture" in Cebuano.
Hiraya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Filipino (Rare), Tagalog (Rare)
Other Scripts: ᜑᜒᜇᜌ(Baybayin)
Pronounced: hee-RA-ya(Tagalog)
Means "imagination, vision" in Tagalog.
Hybris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ὕβρις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: HIE-bris
From Greek ὕβρις
(hybris) meaning "insolence, arrogance, wanton violence, outrage, insult" (originally "presumption toward the gods"). In Greek mythology Hybris was a spirit or goddess of violence, insolence and outrageous behaviour. According to Apollodorus, she was the mother of
Pan by
Zeus.
Ilsa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German
Pronounced: IL-za
Intira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: อินทิรา(Thai)
Pronounced: een-tee-RA
Irena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish, Czech, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Lithuanian
Other Scripts: Ирена(Serbian, Bulgarian)
Pronounced: ee-REH-na(Polish) I-reh-na(Czech) EE-reh-na(Slovak) i-ryeh-NU(Lithuanian)
Form of
Irene in several languages.
Irina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Other Scripts: Ирина(Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian) ირინა(Georgian)
Pronounced: i-RYEE-nə(Russian) EE-ree-nah(Finnish)
Form of
Irene in several languages.
Iris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Other Scripts: Ἶρις(Ancient Greek) Ίρις(Greek)
Pronounced: IE-ris(English) EE-ris(German, Dutch) EE-rees(Finnish, Spanish, Catalan, Italian) EE-REES(French)
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Isabel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, German, Dutch
Pronounced: ee-sa-BEHL(Spanish) ee-zu-BEHL(European Portuguese) ee-za-BEW(Brazilian Portuguese) IZ-ə-behl(English) EE-ZA-BEHL(French) ee-za-BEHL(German, Dutch)
Medieval Occitan form of
Elizabeth. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.
This is the usual form of the name Elizabeth in Spain and Portugal, though elsewhere it is considered a parallel name, such as in France where it is used alongside Élisabeth. The name was borne by two Spanish ruling queens, including Isabel of Castile, who sponsored the explorations of Christopher Columbus.
Isis
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Other Scripts: Ἶσις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: IE-sis(English)
Greek form of Egyptian
ꜣst (reconstructed as
Iset,
Aset or
Ueset), possibly from
st meaning
"throne". In Egyptian
mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of
Osiris and the mother of
Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess
Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Isra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: إسراء(Arabic)
Pronounced: ees-RA
Means
"nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from
سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the
Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet
Muhammad.
Ivana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Italian
Other Scripts: Ивана(Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: I-va-na(Czech) EE-va-na(Slovak) ee-VA-na(Italian)
Ivory
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: African American
Pronounced: IE-və-ree(English) IEV-ree(English)
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.
Jacqueline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: ZHAK-LEEN(French) JAK-ə-lin(English) JAK-wə-lin(English) JAK-ə-leen(English)
French feminine form of
Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Jada 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAY-də, JAD-ə
Elaborated form of
Jade. This name came into general use in the 1960s, and was popularized in the 1990s by actress Jada Pinkett Smith (1971-).
Jade
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: JAYD(English) ZHAD(French)
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.
Janira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan form of
Ianeira.
Jaqueline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Pronounced: JAK-ə-lin(English) JAK-wə-lin(English) JAK-ə-leen(English)
Jasmine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: JAZ-min(English) ZHAS-MEEN(French)
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian
یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans
[1]. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie
Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Jesika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech (Modern)
Jessabelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Jessica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: JEHS-i-kə(English) ZHEH-SEE-KA(French) YEH-see-ka(German, Dutch) JEH-see-ka(German) YEHS-si-ka(Swedish, Norwegian, Danish) GYEH-see-ka(Spanish)
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of
Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name
Iscah, which would have been spelled
Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by
Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Jordan
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Јордан(Macedonian, Serbian) יַרְדֵן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAWR-dən(American English) JAW-dən(British English) ZHAWR-DAHN(French)
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning
"descend, flow down". In the
New Testament John the Baptist baptizes
Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name
Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.
This name died out after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. In America and other countries it became fairly popular in the second half of the 20th century. A famous bearer of the surname is former basketball star Michael Jordan (1963-).
Josephine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch
Pronounced: JO-sə-feen(English) yo-zeh-FEE-nə(German)
Kalika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism
Other Scripts: कालिका(Sanskrit) কালিকা(Bengali)
Pronounced: KAL-i-Ka
An epithet of the Hindu goddess
Kali 1, destroyer of time, which is taken to mean "pertaining to time" as a derivative of
kali, the feminine form of Sanskrit
kala "time".
Kaliko
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian (Rare)
Pronounced: ka-LEE-ko
Means "the leaf bud" or "the newly opened leaf," from definite article ka and liko meaning "leaf bud, newly opened leaf."
Kalyna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ukrainian (Rare)
Other Scripts: Калина(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: ku-LI-nu
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).
Kamilla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Other Scripts: Камилла(Russian)
Pronounced: KAW-meel-law(Hungarian)
Russian and Hungarian form of
Camilla, as well as a Polish and Scandinavian variant. This is also the Hungarian word for the chamomile flower (species Matricaria chamomilla).
Kara 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAHR-ə, KEHR-ə, KAR-ə
Karma
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Bhutanese
Other Scripts: ཀརྨ(Tibetan)
From the Sanskrit word
कर्म (karma) meaning
"action, deed, fate".
Kasia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish
Pronounced: KA-sha
Kate
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Croatian
Pronounced: KAYT(English)
Short form of
Katherine, often used independently. It is short for
Katherina in Shakespeare's play
The Taming of the Shrew (1593). It has been used in England since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer is the British actress Kate Winslet (1975-).
Katiana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese (Brazilian)
Katie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAY-tee
Katya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Катя(Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian)
Pronounced: KA-tyə(Russian)
Kéra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hungarian
Meaning unknown.
Kiara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: kee-AHR-ə
Variant of
Ciara 1 or
Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song
This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie
The Lion King II (1998).
Kissa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare, Archaic)
Pronounced: KIS-ə
Possibly a diminutive of names such as
Christina,
Charissa or, more likely,
Keziah (compare Keziah's diminutive
Kizzie), influenced by the word
kiss (or perhaps Finnish
kissa "cat").
(In the case of Kissa Kouprine, daughter of the writer Aleksandr Kuprin, it seems to have been a short form of /nickname for Kseniya.)
Kitara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 北刃(Japanese Kanji)
Pronounced: KEE-TA-RUH
From Japanese 北 (kita), meaning "north" and 刃 (ha), meaning "edge" or "blade."
Kyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEER-ə, KIE-rə
Variant of
Kira 2, sometimes considered a feminine form of
Cyrus.
Lalita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Thai
Other Scripts: ललिता(Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi) ลลิตา(Thai)
Pronounced: la-lee-TA(Thai)
Means
"playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. According to the
Puranas this was the name of one of the gopis, who were milkmaids devoted to the young
Krishna. Additionally, in Shaktism, this is the name of a goddess who is also called Tripura Sundari.
Lavender
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: LAV-ən-dər
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Lavra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Slovene
Laya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French (Modern)
Leah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: לֵאָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: LEE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name
לֵאָה (Leʾa), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word
לָאָה (laʾa) meaning
"weary, grieved" [1]. Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian
littu meaning
"cow". In the
Old Testament Leah is the first wife of
Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister
Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid
Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.
Although this name was used by Jews in the Middle Ages, it was not typical as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans.
Leia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical Greek, Portuguese, Popular Culture
Other Scripts: Λεία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: LAY-ə(English)
Form of
Leah used in the Greek
Old Testament, as well as a Portuguese form. This is the name of a princess in the
Star Wars movies by George Lucas, who probably based it on
Leah.
Levana 1
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: לְבָנָה(Hebrew)
Hebrew form of
Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.
Lexi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEHK-see
Lexine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEHK-seen
Lilith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Other Scripts: לילית(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: LIL-ith(English)
Derived from Akkadian
lilitu meaning
"of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was
Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by
Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or
Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
Lisette
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: LEE-ZEHT(French)
Lolita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: lo-LEE-ta
Diminutive of
Lola. This is the name of a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.
Love 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LUV
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Lovenia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (South, Archaic), Romani (Archaic)
Luna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Pronounced: LOO-na(Latin, Spanish, Italian) LOO-nə(English)
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Luxana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indian (Rare), South American (Rare)
Pronounced: LAK-san-a(Indian)
Lyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Astronomy
Pronounced: LIE-rə(English)
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).
Malane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Manx
Pronounced: ma-LAYN
Malena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Spanish
Pronounced: ma-LEH-na(Spanish)
Swedish and Spanish contracted form of
Magdalena. In Spanish it can also be a contracted form of
María Elena.
Mali
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Thai
Other Scripts: มาลี(Thai)
Pronounced: ma-LEE
Means "jasmine" in Thai.
Malibu
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: MAL-i-boo
From the name of a beach city in California, which is derived from Ventureño Chumash Humaliwo meaning "the surf sounds loudly".
Maria
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek [1], Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Other Scripts: Μαρία(Greek) Մարիա(Armenian) Мария(Russian, Bulgarian) Марія(Ukrainian) Маріа(Church Slavic)
Pronounced: ma-REE-a(Italian, German, Swedish, Dutch, Greek, Romanian, Basque) mu-REE-u(European Portuguese) ma-REE-u(Brazilian Portuguese) mə-REE-ə(Catalan, English) mah-REE-ah(Norwegian, Danish) MAR-ya(Polish) MAH-ree-ah(Finnish) mu-RYEE-yə(Russian) mu-RYEE-yu(Ukrainian)
Latin form of Greek
Μαρία, from Hebrew
מִרְיָם (see
Mary).
Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is
Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy,
Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.
This was the name of two ruling queens of Portugal. It was also borne by the Habsburg queen Maria Theresa (1717-1780), whose inheritance of the domains of her father, the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, began the War of the Austrian Succession.
Mariela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Мариела(Bulgarian)
Pronounced: ma-RYEH-la(Spanish)
Marine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Armenian, Georgian
Other Scripts: Մարինէ(Armenian) მარინე(Georgian)
Pronounced: MA-REEN(French)
French, Armenian and Georgian form of
Marina.
Marvela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: mar-VEH-lah, MAR-veh-lah
Marya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Марья(Russian)
Pronounced: MA-ryə
Russian variant form of
Maria.
Marybelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Maryla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish
Pronounced: ma-RI-la
Mayra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic)
Pronounced: MIE-ra(Spanish)
Hispanic variant of
Myra.
Meilani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: may-LAH-nee, meh-ee-LAH-nee
Possibly synthetic Hawaiian name influenced by
Melanie and/or
Leilani using the Hawaiian element
lani "heavenly." Used very rarely in the US, mainly California and Hawaii, since the 1980s or earlier. Recent usage is probably influenced by TV personality Jenni "JWoww" Farley, who named a daughter Meilani in 2014.
Melaina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Μέλαινα(Ancient Greek)
Mia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Pronounced: MEE-ah(Swedish, Norwegian, Danish) MEE-a(Dutch, German, Italian) MEE-ə(English)
Diminutive of
Maria. It coincides with the Italian word
mia meaning
"mine".
This name was common in Sweden and Denmark in the 1970s [1]. It rose in popularity in the English-speaking world in the 1990s, entering the top ten for girls in the United States in 2009. It was also popular in many other countries at that time. Famous bearers include American actress Mia Farrow (1945-) and American soccer player Mia Hamm (1972-), birth names Maria and Mariel respectively.
Miami
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
From the name of the city in the American state of Florida. The city got its name from the Mayaimi, a Native American tribe that lived around Lake Okeechobee until the 17th or 18th century.
Milana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Serbian, Croatian, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Милана(Serbian, Russian) Мілана(Belarusian, Ukrainian)
Milani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
From the name of the Italian city of
Milan, as in the name of the American cosmetics company founded in 2002. It could also a variant of
Melanie.
Mileena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American), Popular Culture
The name can be interpreted as a variant of
Milena.
Its use is inspired by the character from the video game 'Mortal Kombat II' (1993).
Milena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Italian
Other Scripts: Милена(Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Russian)
Pronounced: MI-leh-na(Czech) MEE-leh-na(Slovak) mee-LEH-na(Polish, Italian) myi-LYEH-nə(Russian)
Feminine form of
Milan. It began to be used in Italy in honour of Milena Vukotić (1847-1923), mother of Helen of Montenegro, the wife of the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. In Italy it can also be considered a combination of
Maria and
Elena.
Mirabelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French (Rare), English (Rare)
Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Monika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Latvian
Other Scripts: Моника(Bulgarian)
Pronounced: MO-nee-ka(German) MO-ni-ka(Czech) MAW-nee-ka(Slovak) maw-NYEE-ka(Polish)
Form of
Monica used in various languages.
Montana
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: mahn-TAN-ə
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Myra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIE-rə
Created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin
myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name
Mary. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
Mystique
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English, Popular Culture
Pronounced: mis-TEEK(English)
From the adjective in the English language. Means to have a "a special quality or air that makes somebody or something appear mysterious, powerful, or desirable." It is a French loanword deriving from the Middle English
mystik, from the Latin
mysticus 'of or belonging to secret rites or mysteries; mystic, mystical', from the Ancient Greek
mustikos (μυστικός) 'secret, mystic', from
mustēs (μύστης) 'one who has been initiated'.
Mystique is the 'mutant' name of Raven Darkhölme, a villain and sometimes anti-hero in Marvel's X-Men line of comics. As a mutant her ability is to shapeshift into anyone and anything.
Natara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: African American (Modern, Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Nevada
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: nə-VAD-ə
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
Nevaya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Modern, Rare)
Nevena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Невена(Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian)
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".
Nicole
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, Dutch, German
Pronounced: NEE-KAWL(French) ni-KOL(English) nee-KAWL(Dutch, German)
French feminine form of
Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
Nika 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Slovene, Croatian
Nikola 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Polish, Czech, Slovak
Pronounced: NI-ko-la(German, Czech) NEE-kaw-la(Slovak)
German, Polish, Czech and Slovak feminine form of
Nicholas. Note, in Czech this is also a masculine name (see
Nikola 1).
Noraline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Filipino
Nova
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Pronounced: NO-və(English) NO-va(Swedish, Dutch)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Nyomi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: nie-O-mee
Nyx
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Νύξ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: NUYKS(Classical Greek) NIKS(English)
Means "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.
Onyx
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AHN-iks
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek
ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".
Palma
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Croatian (Rare), Italian, Medieval Italian, Catalan, Norwegian (Rare)
Pronounced: PAHL-ma(Spanish) PAHL-mah(Croatian)
Spanish, Catalan, Italian and Croatian word for "palm". This name typically referred to Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, and was historically given to girls born on this day.
Portia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAWR-shə
Variant of
Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name
Porcius, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend
Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearean character.
Princesa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Caribbean)
Priya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
Other Scripts: प्रिया(Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi) பிரியா(Tamil) ప్రియ(Telugu) പ്രിയാ(Malayalam) ಪ್ರಿಯಾ(Kannada) প্রিয়া(Bengali)
Means
"beloved" in Sanskrit. It appears briefly in the
Puranas belonging to a daughter of King
Daksha.
Quinn
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KWIN
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name
Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series
Glee.
Raven
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAY-vən
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.
Renia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish
Reva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi
Other Scripts: रेवा(Sanskrit, Hindi)
Means
"one that moves" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess
Rati.
Reverie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: REHV-ə-ree
From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".
Reyhan
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish, Uyghur
Other Scripts: رەيھان(Uyghur Arabic)
Turkish and Uyghur form of
Rayhana.
Ria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch
Pronounced: REE-a
Riva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: רִיבָה(Hebrew)
Rosabella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Ruby
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ROO-bee
Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin
ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century
[1].
Ryah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RY-ah
Possibly of Spanish origin, meaning "to flow" or else derived from the Greek name
Rhea.
Safira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese
Pronounced: su-FEE-ru(European Portuguese) sa-FEE-ru(Brazilian Portuguese)
Portuguese form of
Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for
"sapphire".
Sage
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAYJ
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Salome
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), German (Rare), Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: სალომე(Georgian) Σαλώμη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: sə-LO-mee(English)
From an Aramaic name that was related to the Hebrew word
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning
"peace". According to the historian Josephus this was the name of the daughter of
Herodias (the consort of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee). In the
New Testament, though a specific name is not given, it was a daughter of Herodias who danced for Herod and was rewarded with the head of
John the Baptist, and thus Salome and the dancer have traditionally been equated.
As a Christian given name, Salome has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation. This was due to a second person of this name in the New Testament: one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion and later discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty. It is used in Georgia due to the 4th-century Salome of Ujarma, who is considered a saint in the Georgian Church.
Sandrine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: SAHN-DREEN
Saniya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Arabic
Sapphira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: Σαπφείρη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: sə-FIE-rə(English)
From the Greek name
Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek
σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning
"sapphire" or
"lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word
סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the
New Testament who is killed by God for lying.
Sapphire
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SAF-ie-ər
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).
Sariah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Mormon
Pronounced: sə-RIE-ə(English)
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew
שׂריה (see
Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of
Lehi's wife.
Saskia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Dutch, German
Pronounced: SAHS-kee-a(Dutch) ZAS-kya(German)
From the Old German element
sahso meaning
"a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *
sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
Selena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Σελήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: seh-LEH-na(Spanish) sə-LEEN-ə(English)
Latinized form of
Selene. This name was borne by popular Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla (1971-1995), who was known simply as Selena. Another famous bearer is the American actress and singer Selena Gomez (1992-).
Selene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Σελήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SEH-LEH-NEH(Classical Greek) si-LEE-nee(English) si-LEEN(English)
Means
"moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess
Artemis.
Selina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: sə-LEEN-ə(English)
Variant of
Celina or
Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.
Sienna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: see-EHN-ə
From the English word meaning "orange-red". It is ultimately from the name of the city of Siena in Italy, because of the colour of the clay there.
Silver
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: SIL-vər
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.
Sire
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Sami
Sirena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: sə-REEN-ə
Derived from Spanish sirena "mermaid". The Spanish dramatist Jacinto Benavente used this name in his play 'Los intereses creados' (1907), where it belongs to a poor widow and matchmaker called Doña Sirena.
Skyla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SKIE-lə
Feminine variant of
Skyler, formed using the popular name suffix
la.
Sloane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SLON
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Sluaghadháin, itself derived from the given name
Sluaghadhán.
Starr
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: STAHR
Tawny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: TAW-nee
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Tequila
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American, Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: tə-KEE-lə(American English)
From the English word tequila for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Spanish, the name of a town in Mexico where the drink was made.
Tiara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: tee-AHR-ə
From the English word for a semicircle crown, ultimately of Greek origin.
Tierra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: TYEH-ra(Spanish)
Means "earth" in Spanish.
Tigerlily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: TIE-gər-lil-ee
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).
Traci
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TRAY-see
Feminine variant of
Tracy.
Tyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, English, African American
Pronounced: TUY-rah(Swedish) TIE-rə(English)
From the Old Norse name
Þýri, a variant of the Norse names
Þórví or
Þórveig. Use of the name in the English-speaking world (especially among African Americans) may be in part from the Swedish name, though it is probably also viewed as a feminine form of
Tyrone or
Tyree. A famous bearer is the American model and actress Tyra Banks (1973-).
Valentine 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: VA-LAHN-TEEN
Vanessa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch
Pronounced: və-NEHS-ə(English) VA-NEH-SA(French) va-NEHS-sa(Italian) vu-NEH-su(European Portuguese) va-NEH-su(Brazilian Portuguese) ba-NEH-sa(Spanish) va-NEH-sa(German) vah-NEH-sa(Dutch)
Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem
Cadenus and Vanessa [1]. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of
Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
Vendetta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American)
Pronounced: ven-det-aa(American English)
Transferred use of the surname
Vendetta or from the word
vendetta, from Italian
vendetta "a feud, blood feud," from Latin
vindicta "vengeance, revenge."
Venetia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), Greek
Other Scripts: Βενετία(Greek)
From the Latin name of the Italian region of Veneto and the city of Venice (see the place name
Venetia). This name was borne by the celebrated English beauty Venetia Stanley (1600-1633), though in her case the name may have been a Latinized form of the Welsh name
Gwynedd [1]. Benjamin Disraeli used it for the heroine of his novel
Venetia (1837).
Venus
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Pronounced: WEH-noos(Latin) VEE-nəs(English)
Means
"love, sexual desire" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love and sex. Her character was assimilated with that of the Greek goddess
Aphrodite. As the mother of
Aeneas she was considered an ancestor of the Roman people. The second planet from the sun is named after her.
Vera 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Other Scripts: Вера(Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian) ვერა(Georgian)
Pronounced: VYEH-rə(Russian) VEE-rə(English) VEHR-ə(English) VEH-ra(German, Dutch) VEH-rah(Swedish) BEH-ra(Spanish) VEH-raw(Hungarian)
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Veruca
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature, Popular Culture
Pronounced: və-ROO-kə
Created by Roald Dahl for a character in his book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, published in 1964. He based the name on the Italian and Latin word verruca, meaning "wart", used in English to refer to the plantar wart.
Victoria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: vik-TAWR-ee-ə(English) beek-TO-rya(Spanish) vik-TO-rya(German) VEEK-TAW-RYA(French) week-TO-ree-a(Latin)
Means
"victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of
Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century
saint and martyr from North Africa.
Though in use elsewhere in Europe, the name was very rare in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when Queen Victoria began her long rule of Britain. She was named after her mother, who was of German royalty. Many geographic areas are named after the queen, including an Australian state and a Canadian city.
Viola
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Pronounced: vie-O-lə(English) vi-O-lə(English) VIE-ə-lə(English) VYAW-la(Italian) vi-OO-la(Swedish) VEE-o-la(German) vee-O-la(German) VEE-o-law(Hungarian) VI-o-la(Czech) VEE-aw-la(Slovak)
Means
"violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke
Orsino, she attempts to convince
Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Vivica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), Swedish (Rare), German (Modern, Rare), Danish (Rare)
Pronounced: VIV-ee-kah(English, Swedish)
Variant of
Viveca. A famous bearer is actress Vivica Fox.
Yasmina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Spanish (Modern), French (Modern)
Other Scripts: ياسمينة(Arabic)
Pronounced: yas-MEE-na(Arabic) gyas-MEE-na(Spanish) YAS-MEE-NA(French)
Yesenia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American)
Pronounced: gyeh-SEH-nya
From
Jessenia, the genus name of a variety of palm trees found in South America. As a given name, it was popularized by the writer Yolanda Vargas Dulché in the 1970 Mexican telenovela
Yesenia and the 1971 film adaptation
[1].
Yessica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: American (Hispanic), Dutch (Rare), Danish (Rare), Spanish (Latin American), Swedish (Rare)
Zahara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: זָהֳרָה(Hebrew)
Zarina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik, Urdu, Malay
Other Scripts: Зарина(Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik) زرینہ(Urdu)
From Persian
زرین (zarīn) meaning
"golden". According to the 5th-century BC Greek historian Ctesias, this was the name of a Scythian queen.
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