This is a list of submitted names in which the description contains the keywords author or writer or poet or playwright or dramatist.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Aasta f NorwegianVariant of
Åsta. A notable bearer is Aasta Hansteen (1824-1908), Norwegian painter, writer and early feminist.
Aberkios m Ancient Greek, History (Ecclesiastical)Of unknown origin and meaning. This name was borne by a 2nd-century saint of Phrygia in Asia Minor, a bishop and wonderworker of Hieropolis who is the subject (and probable author) of an early Christian inscription.
Abraxas m Egyptian Mythology, Gnosticism, Popular CultureFrom a word thought to have originated with the Gnostics or the Egyptians, found on many amulets during the last years of the Roman Empire. Abraxas was used by the Basilideans, a Gnostic sect of the 2nd century, to refer to the Supreme Being or god whom they worshipped; they believed it to be a name of power because it contained the seven Greek letters which, computed numerically, equal the number 365 (the number of days in the year)... [
more]
Abraxos m LiteraturePossibly a variant of
Abraxas. This was used by American author Sarah J. Maas for a character (a wyvern) in her
Throne of Glass series of high fantasy novels (2014-2018).
Accius m Ancient RomanRoman nomen perhaps meaning "a call, summons" or "of Acca". A notable bearer was the tragic poet Lucius Accius.
Adald m FrankishFrom Old Frankish
ad, perhaps a reduction of Old High German
adal "noble" and Old High German
walt "power, authority".
Adalmiina f Finnish, LiteratureUsed by Zacharias Topelius, a Finnish fairy tale writer, in his story 'Adalmiinan helmi' ('Adalmiina's pearl' in English, 'Adalminas pärla' in Swedish), which was published during the late 1800s.... [
more]
Adamanteia f Greek Mythology (?)Apparently derived from Greek ἀδάμαντος
(adamantos) meaning "unbreakable, inflexible". The 1st-century BC Roman writer Hyginus called the nymph
Amaltheia by this name in his
Fabulae (139).
Adamastor m Literature, Portuguese (Rare)Derived from Greek ἀδάμαστος
(adamastos) meaning "untamed" or "untameable" (also see
Adamastos). The giant Adamastor is a personification of the Cape of Good Hope in the 16th-century Portuguese poet Luís de Camões' epic work
Os Lusíadas (
The Lusiads)... [
more]
Adinda f Indonesian, Dutch, LiteratureMeans "sister" or "eldest daughter" (a formal, poetic term) in Indonesian. The name was used by Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker (1820-1887), better known by his pen name Multatuli, for one of the eponymous characters in his story "Saïdjah and Adinda" in his 1860 novel
Max Havelaar.
Adrius m LiteratureThe name of an antagonist in the
Red Rising series of science fiction novels by American author Pierce Brown.
Aelian m English, HistoryEnglish form of
Aelianus. A bearer of this name was Claudius Aelianus - often called Aelian in English - a Roman author and philosopher from the 3rd century AD.
Aemma f LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". It is possibly derived from
Emma. In the series, Aemma Arryn is the mother of Rhaenyra Targaryen, a claimant to the throne of Westeros.
Aemond m LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the television series "House of the Dragon". Prince Aemond is a member of House Targaryen. He is the second son of King Viserys I Targaryen by his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower, and the younger brother of King Aegon II Targaryen.
Aenar m LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". In the series, Aenar Targaryen is an ancestor of the Targaryen monarchs in Westeros.
Aenea f LiteraturePossibly intended to be a feminine form of
Aeneas, or possibly taken from the Latin word
aēneus meaning "made of copper, made of bronze; brazen" (feminine
aēnea), a derivative of
aes "copper, bronze"... [
more]
Aenys m LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". In the series, Aenys Targaryen is the second Targaryen monarch in Westeros.
Afaq f AzerbaijaniFrom Arabic آفاق
('afaq) meaning "horizons, the world", the plural form of أفق
('ufuq) meaning "horizon". According to some, this was the name of poet Nizami Ganjavi's first wife.
Afranius m Ancient RomanRoman nomen gentile of uncertain origin. A bearer of this name was the ancient Roman poet Lucius Afranius (1st century BC).
Agathias m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
agathos meaning "good" (see
Agathon). It was borne by a 6th-century Greek historian and poet, who chronicled the reign of Byzantine emperor
Justinian I.
Ager m BasqueDerived from the nickname of Basque writer Balentin Aurre-Apraiz (Valentín Aurre Apraiz in Spanish), who was also known as
Agerrekoa. His nickname was likely derived from the name of the farmstead where he grew up,
Mendieta-Agerre.
Agobard m History (Ecclesiastical)Agobard of Lyon (c. 779–840) was a Spanish-born priest and archbishop of Lyon, during the Carolingian Renaissance. The author of multiple treatises, ranging in subject matter from the iconoclast controversy to Spanish Adoptionism to critiques of the Carolingian royal family, Agobard is best known for his critiques of Jewish religious practices and political power in the Frankish-Carolingian realm... [
more]
Aitzol m BasqueUsed by the Basque writer and Catholic priest José de Ariztimuño Olaso (1896-1936), who was killed by the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Aitzol was a pseudonym possibly taken from letters in his surname,
(A)r(iz)timuño (Ol)aso; or perhaps Aitzol came from the hypothetical Basque place name
h(aitz ol)a meaning "quarry, stonemason's workshop" from the words
haitz "rock, stone" and
ola "workplace, factory".
Akinari m JapaneseFrom the Japanese Kanji 秋 (
aki) meaning "autumn" or 旺 (
aki) meaning "prosperous; energic" combined with 成 (
nari) meaning "to become". ... [
more]
Akinobu m JapaneseName that was given during the Hēan Period, to a Court Noble and Poet, "藤原 顕信" FUJIWARANOAKINOBU. The Kanji Character "顕" meaning "" with the Kanji Character "信" meaning "Believe".
Alaine f BasqueDerived from Basque
alai "joyous, happy" and the suffix
-ne. This name is borne by Basque writer Alaine Agirre Garmendia (born 11 December 1990 in Bermeo, Bizkaia).
Albia f Basque, Spanish (Latin American)Taken from the name of a grotto in the Aralar Range in the Basque Mountains where a dolmen was discovered in 1915, as well as from the name of a suburb of Bilbao where Sabino Arana Goiri was born. Goiri was a writer, creator of the Basque flag, founder of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and is generally considered "the father of Basque nationalism".
Alcman m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of Doric Greek
Alkman. This was the name of an Ancient Greek choral lyric poet from Sparta. He is the earliest representative of the Alexandrian canon of the Nine Lyric Poets.
Aldornia f American (South, Rare, Archaic)Perhaps derived from the Old English
aldor, a form of
ealdor meaning "elder, parent, head of family, chief, lord; author, source; age, old age" with the name suffix -
nia to feminize the name.... [
more]
Aleksis m Finnish, LatvianFinnish and Latvian form of
Alexis. This name was borne by Finnish author Aleksis Kivi (originally Alexis Stenvall) who wrote the first significant novel in the Finnish language, 'Seitsemän veljestä' ('Seven Brothers') in 1870.
Alexamenus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of
Alexamenos. This name was borne by an Aetolian general from the 2nd century BC as well as by Alexamenus of Teos, a Greek writer of Socratic dialogues who lived in the 4th century BC.
Alicent f LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the upcoming television series "House of the Dragon". In the series, Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and a member of the royal court of Westeros under King Viserys Targaryen.
Aliena f Theatre, LiteratureMeans "stranger" in Latin. This was the false identity of
Celia in Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It' (1599) when she goes into hiding in the forest of Arden, presumably a pun on the word
alias... [
more]
Alisier m French (Rare)From "alisier", meaning "whitebeam tree" in French. This name has been authorised in France since 1966, alongside its feminine form, Alise.
Alkhansa f Arabic (Rare)From Arabic الخنساء
(al-Khansā), which is said to mean "the snub-nosed" or "the gazelle". This was the nickname of a 7th-century Arab poet who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad... [
more]
Alki f GreekDiminutive of
Angeliki. This name was borne by Angeliki „Alki“ Zei (December 15, 1925 – February 27, 2020), a Greek novelist and children's writer.
Aloma f Catalan (Rare), LiteratureThis name was used by the medieval writer and philosopher Ramon Llull in his novel
Blanquerna (1283), where it belongs to the mother of the main character. Llull possibly based it on the masculine name
Alomar (nowadays found as a surname - see
Alomar), which derives from the Germanic name
Aldemar... [
more]
Aluda m Georgian, LiteratureThis name is best known for being the name of the eponymous hero of the epic poem
Aluda Ketelauri (1888) written by the Georgian poet and writer Vazha-Pshavela (1861-1915).... [
more]
Amabelle f LiteratureVariant of
Amabel influenced by French (i.e., with a French feminine name suffix). Used by Haitian-born author Edwidge Danticat for a character in the historical novel 'The Farming of Bones' (1998); the book chronicles a young Haitian girl named Amabelle Desir's 1937 escape from the Dominican Republic following the Parsley Massacre and the spread of
antihaitianismo.
Amargein m Irish (Archaic)Meaning "born of poetry" relating to the modern Irish word
amhrán meaning song. Was the name of ancient poet, Amargein Glúingel, who wrote the Song of Amargein and the foster of father of the hero Cú Chulainn, Amargein mac Eccit.
Amgalantör m MongolianMeans "peaceful power" in Mongolian, from амгалан
(amgalan) meaning "peace, calm" and төр
(tör) meaning "state, government" or "power, authority".
Amiya m & f Indian, BengaliPossibly derived from the Sanskrit word अमाय
(amaya) meaning "free from deceit, guileless". A noted (male) bearer was Amiya Chandra Chakravarty (1901-1986), an Indian literary critic, academic and Bengali poet.
Amnat m ThaiMeans "authority, force, power" in Thai.
Ampflise f Arthurian CycleForm of
Amphelise used by the 13th-century poet Wolfram von Eschenbach for two characters in his Middle High German romance
Parzival, one of whom was the queen of France during the time of
Uther.
Amul m Sanskrit, Hindi, Indian, Gujarati, Nepali, Sinhalese, Assamese, Marathi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, TamilMEANING: ( rootless, baseless ,without authority, not resting on authority )... [
more]
Anada f HungarianArtistic version of
Anna, created by Hungarian author Lajos Zilahi as his 1928 novels' main character.
Anapsychia f Late RomanDerived from the Greek verb ἀναψύχω
(anapsycho) meaning "to cool (off), to revive by fresh air, to refresh; to recover oneself". This was the name of a late Roman woman letter writer who corresponded with Saint
Jerome of Striden.
Anayansi f Literature, Spanish (Latin American)Used by Panamanian author Octavio Méndez Pereira for a character in his historical novel
Núñez de Balboa, el tesoro de Dabaibe (1934), where it belongs to an indigenous princess who falls in love with the Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa... [
more]
Anda f LatvianFeminine form of
Andis. Latvian poet and playwright Rainis used this name on a character in his play
Pūt, vējiņi! (1913).
Aniara f Swedish (Modern, Rare), Literature, AstronomyFrom Greek
ἀνιαρός (aniarós) meaning "sad, despairing". The name was invented by Swedish author Harry Martinson for the space ship in his poem of science fiction 'Aniara: en revy om människan i tid och rum' published in 1956... [
more]
Annalis m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that means "annual". The first bearer was Lucius Villius Annalis, author of the Lex Villia Annalis.
Anodos m Greek (Anglicized, Rare, Archaic)"Ascent" or "Upward Progress" from the Greek
οδος with the prefix
αν. Used by Plato to refer to enlightenment. Anodos is the central character in the George Macdonald novel "Phantastes"... [
more]
Anšlavs m Latvian (Archaic)This was the name of Latvian writer, journalist and painter Anšlavs Eglītis who became a war refugee in 1944. He had prolific career as a novelist, and his later work often examined aspects of exile life.
Antiphanes m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek ἀντί
(anti) "against, in return" and φανής
(phanes) "appearing". This was the name of a 4th-century BCE comic playwright of Middle Comedy.
Anyte f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Anytos. Anyte of Tegea was a 3rd-century BC Arcadian poet, admired by her contemporaries and later generations for her charming epigrams and epitaphs.
Aolú m Irish (Rare)A combination honoring Irish deities Aodh and Lugh. Aodh is often referred to as a "god of the underworld," although this is likely influenced by Christian interpretation. He and his siblings were turned into swans by their stepmother, Aoife... [
more]
Appian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)Anglicized form of
Appianus, a Roman agnomen that was derived from
Appius. Appian of Alexandria was a 1st- and 2nd-century Greek historian and writer in Rome.
Araluen f English (Australian, Rare)From the name of the Araluen Creek valley in southeastern Australia, which is said to mean "water lily" or "place of the water lilies" in the Walbunja language. It was borne by a short-lived daughter of the Australian poet Henry Kendall (1839-1882).
Arator m Medieval LatinMeans "plowman" in Latin. This was the name of a sixth-century Christian poet from Italy.
Archetimos m Ancient GreekDerived from either Greek ἀρχή
(arche) meaning "beginning, origin; authority" or ἄρχω
(arkho) meaning "to rule, lead, command" and τιμή
(time) meaning "honour, esteem" (see
timao).
Archias m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek ἀρχή
(arche) meaning "power, rulership" (compare the related word ἀρχός
(archos) meaning "master") combined with the masculine name suffix -ίας
(-ias)... [
more]
Argante m Literature, ItalianName used by Italian author Torquato Tasso in his masterpiece 'Gerusalemme Liberata' (1581) and 'Gerusalemme Conquistata' (1583). Argante is a Muslim, king of Jerusalem. The name's origin is uncertain... [
more]
Ārija f Latvian, TheatreFeminine form of
Ārijs, this name coincides with Latvian
ārija "aria". Latvian poet and playwright Rainis used it as the name of the titular character in his play
Indulis un Ārija (1911).
Ariodante m Carolingian Cycle, Literature, Theatre, Italian (Rare)This is the name of an Italian knight from canto V of the 16th-century epic poem
Orlando furioso written by the Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). Two centuries later, the character became the subject of George Frideric Handel's opera seria
Ariodante (1735).... [
more]
Arion m Ancient Greek, Greek, Greek Mythology, Popular CultureIn Greek mythology, Arion is the name of a divine immortal talking horse, who is the son of the gods Poseidon and Demeter. In real life, this name was borne by a Greek singer and poet of Methymna on Lesbos, skilled at the cithara and inventor of the dithyramb... [
more]
Arkham m English (Modern, Rare)Transferred use of the fictional place name Arkham Asylum from
Batman video games and comic books, itself named for a fictional city in Massachusetts used regularly by author H. P. Lovecraft (see
Arkham)... [
more]
Arlington m English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Arlington. Notable bearer the American poet Edwin Arlington Robinson received the name rather unusually when a man from Arlington, Massachusetts was selected to pull a name out of a hat to bestow his first name, Edwin.
Arna m Louisiana Creole, American (South)A notable bearer of this name was the American writer Arna Bontemps (1902-1973), who was born into a Louisiana Creole family. By some accounts, his birth name was
Arnaud.
Arnim m GermanGerman name that first surfaced in the late 1800s. It was originally taken from the name of the town of Arnim near Berlin, later inspired by the surname of poet Bettina von Arnim and finally (mis)understood as a variant of
Armin.
Arritokieta f Basque (Rare)From the name of a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin
Mary in the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa, meaning "the place of the protruding stones". It has been used as a nom de plume by the Basque writer Julene Azpeitia (1888-1980).
Arshi f Indian, Marathi, HindiDerived from Sanskrit ऋषि
(ṛ́ṣi) denoting a singer of sacred hymns, a poet, or a sage.
Artham m LiteratureVariant of
Arthur, used in Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga. The character was inspired by the author's brother, Arthur.
Artush m ArmenianDiminutive of
Artashes. This is one of the main characters in Azerbaijani writer and journalist Ali Akbar's novel Artush and Zaur.
Árvácska f HungarianMeans "pansy" in Hungarian. This was used by the Hungarian author Zsigmond Móricz for his 1940 novel of the same name.
Ashe f YorubaFrom Yoruba
àṣẹ meaning "power, authority, command". In Yoruba religion, àṣẹ is the natural power that makes things happen and produces change.
Asmat f Literature, GeorgianGeorgian form of
Asma according to a Russian source, but Georgian sources say that this name means "innocent, chaste, virginal" and "honest" in Arabic.... [
more]
Aspazija f Latvian (Rare), Lithuanian (Rare)Latvian and Lithuanian form of
Aspasia. Aspazija was the pen name of Elza Johanna Emilija Lizete Pliekšāne (16 March 1865 – 5 November 1943), one of the most important Latvian poets and playwrights.
Asriel m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, LiteratureVariant of
Azriel used in the Geneva Bible (1560), Douay-Rheims Bible (1582-1610), the Clementine Vulgate (1592) and the Nova Vulgata ("Neo-Vulgate", 1979). The latter two are respectively the former and current official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church.... [
more]
Astrild f LiteratureClaimed to mean "love fire" from Old Norse
ást "love" and
eldr "fire". Astrild was a personification of love in Scandinavian poetry (particularly during the Baroque and Rococo eras), probably introduced in the 17th century by Swedish poet Georg Stiernhielm.
Athenodora f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Athenodoros. This was used by American author Stephenie Meyer for a character in her novel
Breaking Dawn (2008) of the
Twilight series.
Atlantic m EnglishThe term “Atlantic” was in the sixth century BC by a Greek poet, Atlantikôi pelágei or the “Sea of Atlas.”
Atréju m LiteratureCreated by German author Michael Ende for the hero of his fantasy novel 'Die unendliche Geschichte' (1979; English: 'The Neverending Story'). The character is a boy warrior whose name is explained as meaning "son of all" in his fictional native language, given to him because he was raised by all of the members of his village after being orphaned as a newborn.
Atreyu m Literature (Anglicized)Anglicized variant of
Atréju, which was created by German author Michael Ende for the hero of his fantasy novel 'Die unendliche Geschichte' (1979; English: 'The Neverending Story')... [
more]
Attanatda f GuancheFrom Guanche
*hata-tanaṭda, meaning "here is the (personified) authority". This was recorded as the name of a 35-year-old Guanche woman from Tenerife who was sold at the slave market in Valencia in 1494.
Atthasit m ThaiFrom Thai อรรถ
(at) meaning "essence" and สิทธิ์
(sit) meaning "right, authority, privilege".
Auszrine f Baltic MythologyEither an older or a Polonized form of
Aušrinė (or possibly both seeing as many of the early documents on Baltic deities were composed by Polish authors).... [
more]
Awasin m LiteratureThis 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.... [
more]
Azalbibi f UzbekDerived from the Uzbek
azal meaning "eternity" and
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman".
Azazello m LiteratureVariant of
Azazel used by the Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov in his novel 'The Master and Margarita' (1967), where it belongs to a demon.
Azeglio m ItalianItalian form of
Agellus. The name was popularized by Massimo d'Azeglio (1798-1866) an Italian politician and writer.
Aziraphale m LiteratureAziraphale is the name of a the angel in the Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett collaboration, Good Omens. The authors state that though the name is made up of real elements, it's made up.
Aziyadé f LiteratureAziyadé (1879) is a novel by French author Pierre Loti. It tells the story of the 27-year-old Loti's illicit love affair with an 18-year-old harem girl named Aziyadé.
Azrai m MalayFrom the name of 14th-century Islamic scholar and writer Shihab al-Din Abul 'Abbas Ahmad bin Hamdan al-Azra'i.
Baba f EnglishDiminutive of
Barbara or other names with a similar sound. Borne by Baba Beaton, socialite and sister of photographer Cecil, and writer Eleanor “Baba” Brougham.
Bəbir m Azerbaijani (Rare)Derived from the Azerbaijani noun
bəbir meaning "leopard". As such, this name could be considered to be the Azerbaijani form of
Babur.... [
more]
Bahiyyih f PersianBahíyyih Khánum (1846-1932), the daughter of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith... [
more]
Baiquan m ChineseFrom the Chinese
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, numerous, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress, cedar" and
权 (quán) meaning "power, right, authority" or
泉 (quán) meaning "spring, fountain; wealth, money".
Balladyna f Polish (Rare), TheatreUsed by the Polish writer Juliusz Słowacki for the heroine of his tragic play
Balladyna (1834), about a fictional Slavic queen who is corrupted by her rise to power. Słowacki based the name on the Polish word
ballada meaning "ballad".
Banjo m English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Banjo. Occasionally used in homage to various persons using the byname, such as Australian poet Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson or American race car driver Edwin “Banjo” Matthews.
Bardroy m Popular CultureMeaning unknown. Manga author Yana Toboso used this name for a character in her popular manga serie 'Kuroshitsuji'.
Bartho m Dutch, AfrikaansShort form of
Bartholomeus. Notable bearers of this name include the Dutch actor Bartho Braat (b. 1950) and the South African writer Bartho Smit (1924-1986).
Bartleby m LiteratureThis name was apparently invented by the 19th-century writer Herman Melville, who perhaps intended it to mean "Bartholomew's town" from the medieval English name
Bartle, a diminutive of
Bartholomew, combined with the English place name suffix
by meaning "farm, settlement" from Old Norse
býr (compare
Darby,
Colby and
Willoughby).... [
more]
Baucis f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Derived from Greek βαυκος
(baukos) meaning "prudish". In Greek mythology, Baucis and Philemon were an elderly couple who showed great hospitality to the god Zeus. Baucis was also the name of a Greek poet contemporaneous with Sappho and Erinna whose work is now lost, apostrophized in Erinna's 'Distaff'.
Beatrijs f Dutch, Flemish, LiteratureDutch form of
Beatrix. A notable bearer of this name is the Blessed Beatrijs of Nazareth (1200-1268), a Flemish Cistercian nun who is known as Beatrice in English.... [
more]
Beglar m Georgian (Rare)Derived from the Ottoman Turkish plural form of the Turkish military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master".... [
more]
Belacqua m LiteraturePossibly from a contraction of
Bevilacqua, an Italian surname that was originally a nickname derived from the expression
bevi l'acqua meaning "drinks water", probably applied ironically to a heavy drinker of alcohol... [
more]
Beleth m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendIn demonology, Beleth is a mighty and terrible king of Hell, who has eighty-five legions of demons under his command. He rides a pale horse, and a variety of music is heard before him, according to most authors on demonology, and the most known grimoires.
Bellamira f Spanish (Latin American, Rare), TheatreProbably derived from the Latin elements
bella "beautiful" and
mira "wondrous" (cf.
Mirabella). This name belongs to a courtesan in the play
The Jew of Malta (written c. 1589 or 1590) by English dramatist Christopher Marlowe.
Beloc m Greek (Cypriot, Archaic)Beloc is a classical rendering of the Semitic words bēlu and ba'al, which both mean "lord". It can be used as a theonym, personal name, or royal title. Beloc has multiple meanings, including: ... [
more]
Belvidera f TheatreDerived from Italian
belvedere meaning "a fair sight" (compare
Belvedere). This was used by English dramatist Thomas Otway for a character in his tragedy
Venice Preserv'd (1682).
Belvina f LiteratureApparently from the Latin word meaning "beast-like" (also written
beluina), derived from
bēlua "beast, monster" (Italian
belva) with the adjectival suffix
-īnus "of, like"... [
more]
Beno m SorbianSorbian form of
Benno. Beno Budar (*1946) is a Sorbian writer and translator.
Berdi m TurkmenMeans "given (by God)" in Turkmen. It is derived from the past tense of the Turkmen verb
bermek meaning "to give", which itself is ultimately derived from Old Turkic
ber meaning "to give".... [
more]
Bérylune f TheatrePerhaps an elaborated form of French
béryl meaning "beryl", possibly blending it with the word
lune "moon". This was used by the Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck for a fairy in his play 'The Blue Bird' (1908).
Besik m GeorgianShort form of
Besarion. It began to be used as an independent name in the 18th century, thanks to the Georgian poet Besarion Gabashvili (1750-1791), who was known as Besik or Besiki... [
more]
Besiki m GeorgianForm of
Besik with the Georgian nominative suffix -ი
(-i). It is only used in Georgian when the name is written stand-alone.... [
more]
Bettany f English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Bettany. This name is borne by English historian and writer Bettany Hughes (born 1968).
Bhakti m & f Sanskrit, IndianSanskrit word meaning devotion, love, attachment, etc. In Hinduism, the concept of emotional devotion to a personal deity or spiritual idea, and is also the name of the associated movement- notable Bhakti poet-saints include Mirabai and Kabir Das.
Bibiaxtar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
Akhtar.
Bibihadicha f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name
Khadija.
Bibihayot f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
hayot meaning "life".
Bibijahon f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
jahon meaning "the world".
Bibijamol f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
jamol meaning "beauty".
Bibimaryam f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name
Maryam.
Bibiniyoz f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
niyoz meaning "entreaty, alms".
Bibinovvot f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
novvot meaning "rock sugar".
Bibinozik f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
nozik meaning "fine, delicate".
Bibioy f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
oy meaning "moon".
Bibiqamar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
qamar meaning "moon".
Bibiqand f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
qand meaning "sugarcube".
Bibiqiz f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
qiz meaning "girl".
Bibirajab f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name
Rajab.
Bibirayhon f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
rayhon meaning "basil".
Bibiro'zi f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
ro'z meaning "day".
Bibisafar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
safar meaning "trip, journey".
Bibisaida f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name
Saida.
Bibisanam f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
sanam meaning "idol, beautiful woman".
Bibisan'at f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
san'at meaning "art, craft".
Bibishahar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
shahar meaning "city, large town".
Bibishakar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
shakar meaning "sugar, sweet".
Bibishamsiya f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
shamsiya meaning "parasol".
Bibisohiba f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
sohiba meaning "owner, possessor (fem.)".
Bibisuluv f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
sulu(v) meaning "beautiful".
Bibisuman f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
suman meaning "jasmine".
Bibitoj f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
toj meaning "crown".
Bibizar f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
zar meaning "gold, wealth".
Bibizaynab f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name
Zaynab.
Bibizilol f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
zilol meaning "crystal-clear, limpid, unclouded".
Bibizor f UzbekFrom the Uzbek
bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and
zor meaning "entreaty, need, desire".
Bijan m Persian, LiteratureModern form of
Bizhan. In literature, Bijan is the name of a character in the 11th-century epic poem 'Shahnameh' written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi.
Bingquan f & m ChineseFrom the Chinese
冰 (bīng) meaning "ice" or
炳 (bǐng) meaning "bright, luminous, glorious" and
泉 (quán) meaning "spring, fountain, wealth" or
权 (quán) meaning "power, right, authority".
Bính m & f VietnameseDerived from the Sino-Vietnamese 丙 (
bǐng) referred to the Third Heavenly Stem, connected with Fire in the Chinese philosophy of Wu Xing.... [
more]
Bjørnstjerne m Norwegian (Archaic)Combination of
Bjørn and Norwegian
stjerne meaning "star". Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) was a Norwegian writer and Nobel laureate (Literature, 1903).
Blackie m American (Rare)A nickname or a diminutive. As a nickname the meaning is particular to the bearer, perhaps referring to dark hair color or complexion. That was the case for sports writer
William Forrest "Blackie"
Sherrod (1919-2016)... [
more]
Blaesilla f History (Ecclesiastical)Feminine diminutive of
Blaesus. Blaesilla (364–384) was a Roman widow and disciple of Jerome. Most of the knowledge about Blaesilla's life comes from the writings of Jerome, in which he described her piety and virtue... [
more]
Blanduzia f Romanian (Rare)Fântâna Blanduziei ('Blanduzia's Fountain' in English) was a literary and political weekly magazine which was first published in 1888 and run by Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu.
Blight m LiteratureUsed by author Suzanne Collins in her novel 'Catching Fire' for District Seven's male Quarter Quell tribute, likely given in reference to the English word for plant disease. It may ultimately come from Old English
blæce/
blæcðu, a skin condition, or from Old Norse
blikna, meaning "to become pale".
Bloeme f Dutch (Rare)Variant of
Bloem. A known bearer of this name was Bloeme Evers-Emden (1926-2016), a Dutch Jewish teacher, child psychologist and author who had attended school together with the famous diarist Anne Frank (1929-1945).
Bloodgood m American (Rare)Name of New York farmer Bloodgood Haviland
Cutter (1817–1906). He was known as a 'farmer poet'. Well known author
Mark Twain humorously dubbed Cutter the 'Poet Lariat' in Twain's non-fiction travelogue 'Innocents Abroad'... [
more]
Boeo f Ancient GreekThe name of an ancient Delphic priestess and hymn-writer, likely derived from the location Boeotia, ultimately from the Ancient Greek word
βοώτης (boṓtēs) meaning “herdsman”.
Bonagiunta m & f Medieval Italian, LiteratureDerived from the Italian adjective
buono meaning "good" as well as "fair" combined with
giunta, the feminine past participle of the Italian verb
giungere meaning "to arrive". As such, the name is basically a reference to the safe arrival of a newborn.... [
more]
Booth m English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Booth, which is derived from Middle English
bothe meaning "booth, bothy, hut", which itself is ultimately derived from Old Norse
búð meaning "booth, dwelling, shelter"... [
more]
Boremund m LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the television series "House of the Dragon". In the series, Boremund Baratheon is the Lord of Storm's End and the head of House Baratheon early in the reign of King Viserys Targaryen during the middle years of the Targaryen dynasty in Westeros.
Borna m Persianmeaning in Persian: Young, Youth, Fresh, Healthy, Brave... [
more]
Borros m LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". In the series, Borros Baratheon is the patriarch of House Baratheon and the Lord of Storm's End during Viserys Targaryen's reign in Westeros.
Borwin m German (Rare)The name Borwin is formed from the Slavonic name element
BOR "fight, battle" and the Germanic name element
WIN "friend".... [
more]
Brahmagupta m SanskritBrahmagupta was an Indian mathematician and astronomer. He is the author of two early works on mathematics and astronomy: the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta, a theoretical treatise, and the Khaṇḍakhādyaka, a more practical text.
Bráulio m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Braulio. Known bearers of this name include former Brazilian soccer player Bráulio Barbosa de Lima (b. 1948) and Bráulio Tavares (b... [
more]
Broselianda f ObscureThis was borne by Cuban actress Broselianda Hernández Boudet (1964-2020), who was the daughter of Cuban dramatist and critic Rosa Ileana Boudet (1947-). It was perhaps inspired by the mythological place name
Brocéliande.
Byeong-cheol m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean 秉 "grasp, hold; bundle; authority" and 哲 "wise, sagacious". A famous bearer is South Korean businessman Lee Byung-chul (1910-1987), founder of the Samsung Group.
Byung-Hee m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean 秉
(byeong) meaning "grasp, hold", "bundle", or "authority" or 丙
(byeong) "third" combined with 熙
(hui) "bright, splendid, glorious". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Cadenus m LiteratureInvented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa. The name is an anagram for the latin word decanus, meaning
Dean, because he was the dean of St... [
more]
Caílte m Irish, Irish MythologyOlder form of
Caoilte, possibly derived from Irish
caol meaning "slender". In Irish legend Caílte was a warrior of the Fianna and their foremost poet... [
more]
Caïssa f LiteratureInvented by the Italian writer Marco Girolamo Vida as a goddess of chess in 1527. It was reused in the poem Caïssa (1763) by William Jones. Since then, the name was sporadically given to girls. It is also a popular name for chess clubs.
Caligorante m Carolingian Cycle, LiteratureMeaning unknown, but several theories have been proposed for its etymology. One such theory is that it is derived from Latin
caligante meaning "fading, growing dim". In turn, the word is ultimately derived from the Latin verb
caligo meaning "to steam, to darken"... [
more]
Calpernia f EnglishVariant of
Calpurnia. A well-known bearer of this name is Calpernia Addams (b. 1971), an American author, actress, and transgender rights activist. Addams named herself after Calpurnia, wife of Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's play 'Julius Caesar'; the spelling 'Calpernia' may have been taken from a tombstone that briefly appeared in the film 'The Addams Family' (1991).
Camaris m LiteratureCamaris sa-Vinitta is an original character created by fantasy Author, Tad Williams. Camaris comes from the Greek καμαρης meaning 'pride'. Camaris also means 'chamber' in Latin.
Campion m English (Rare), LiteratureThis rare given name can be derived from the surname of
Campion as well as from the name of the plant, both of which likely derive their name from Old French
campion meaning "champion"... [
more]
Canisia f ObscureFeminine form of
Canisius, occasionally adopted as a monastic name. In the case of Canisia Lubrin (1984-), a Saint Lucian-born Canadian poet, it is more likely a variant of
Canisha (see
Kanisha,
Kenisha).
Canius m Ancient RomanDerived from Latin
canus "old, grey(-haired), elderly" or Latin
canis "dog." This name was borne by Canius Rufus, a Roman poet.
Carit m Danish (Rare)Invented by the Danish author Carl Brosbøll (1816-1900) for use as a pen name; his pseudonym,
Carit Etlar, was an anagram of
Carl and
Tertia (his given name and that of his muse, Tertia Fabricius).
Carmilla f LiteratureUsed 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.
Casina f TheatrePossibly derived from Greek
kasia meaning "cinnamon". Casina is a beautiful slave girl in the Latin play
Casina by the early Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. The title has been translated as
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Wedding... [
more]
Catharinus m Dutch, English (Archaic)Masculine form of
Catharina. In 2010, there was a total of 2153 bearers of this name in all of The Netherlands. A known bearer of this name was Catharinus P. Buckingham (1808-1888), an American soldier, author and industrialist.
Catti-brie f Popular Culture, LiteratureCatti-brie (spelled
Cattie-brie in later publications) is the name of a character in the 'Forgotten Realms', a series of fantasy novels by American author R. A. Salvatore which serves as a setting for the role-playing game 'Dungeons & Dragons'... [
more]