Browse Submitted Names

Aasta f Norwegian
Variant of Åsta. A notable bearer is Aasta Hansteen (1824-1908), Norwegian painter, writer and early feminist.

Abela f German (Rare), Low German (Archaic), Swedish (Archaic), Icelandic (Modern)
Obsolete Low German short form of both Apollonia and Alberta. There is, however, another theory which derives this name from Old Saxon aval "strength; force; fortitude"... [more]

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 Culture
From 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 Literature
Possibly 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).

Acanthis f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Literature
Latinized form of Greek Ἀκανθίς (Akanthis), which was the name of a type of finch, known as thistle finch in English, literally meaning "prickly" from Greek ἄκανθα (akantha) "thorn, prickle, thistle" (compare Acantha, Acanthus)... [more]

Accius m Ancient Roman
Roman nomen perhaps meaning "a call, summons" or "of Acca". A notable bearer was the tragic poet Lucius Accius.

Acestor m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Akestor. Bearers of this name include two sculptors and a tragic poet.... [more]

Achaeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Achaios. In Greek mythology, this was the name of the son of Xuthus, who the Achaean people regarded as their (mythical) ancestor... [more]

Aclewalda f Germanic, Medieval French, Frankish (?)
Derived from Old French agil, a lengthened form of Proto-Germanic *agjō meaning "blade", combined with Old Saxon wald or Old High German walt meaning "power, authority".

Acracia f Spanish (European, Rare, Archaic)
From Spanish acracia, which stands for the doctrine that advocates the suppression of all authority, ultimately from the Ancient Greek words ἀκράτεια (akráteia, "no power") or ᾰ̓κρᾱσῐ́ᾱ (akrāsíā, "intemperance")... [more]

Adalald m Medieval German, Old High German (?), Old Saxon (?)
Germanic name, in which the first element is adal "noble". The second element may be derived from either Old Saxon wald, Old High German walt meaning "power, authority" (making it a variant of Adalwald) or Old Saxon and Old Frisian ald, Old High German alt meaning "old".

Adald m Frankish
From Old Frankish ad, perhaps a reduction of Old High German adal "noble" and Old High German walt "power, authority".

Adalmiina f Finnish, Literature
Used 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]

Adélia f Hungarian (Rare), Portuguese
Hungarian and Portuguese form of Adelia. Also compare Amélia versus Amelia.... [more]

Adinda f Indonesian, Dutch, Literature
Means "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 Literature
The name of an antagonist in the Red Rising series of science fiction novels by American author Pierce Brown.

Aeantides m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Aiantides. Bearers of this name include the Greek tyrant Aeantides of Lampsacus (6th century BC) and the Greek tragic poet Aeantides of Alexandria (3rd century BC).... [more]

Aelian m English, History
English 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 Literature
Created 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 Literature
Created 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 Literature
Created 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 Literature
Possibly 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 Literature
Created 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 Azerbaijani
From 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.

Afrânio m Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Afranius. Bearers of this name include Brazilian medic, writer and politician Afrânio Peixoto (1876-1947) and Brazilian literary critic Afrânio Coutinho (1911-2000).

Afranius m Ancient Roman
Roman nomen gentile of uncertain origin. A bearer of this name was the ancient Roman poet Lucius Afranius (1st century BC).

Agathias m Ancient Greek
Derived 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 Basque
Derived 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]

Agosti m Basque (Archaic)
Basque form of Augustin. This name was borne by Basque writer and politician Agosti Xaho.

Aitzol m Basque
Used 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".

Akahito m Japanese
From 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 人 (hito) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can be used.... [more]

Akatsuki m & f Japanese (Rare), Popular Culture
From 暁 (akatsuki) meaning "dawn, daybreak," shifted from earlier akatoki, made up of 明 (aka) meaning "bright" and 時 (toki) meaning "time."... [more]

Akinari m Japanese
From the Japanese Kanji 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" or 旺 (aki) meaning "prosperous; energic" combined with 成 (nari) meaning "to become". ... [more]

Akkharadet m Thai
From Thai อัคร (akkhara) meaning "top, excellent, best" and เดช (det) meaning "power, might, authority".

Alaine f Basque
Derived 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).

Albertano m Medieval Italian
Italian form of Albertanus. Albertano da Brescia was an author of Latin social treatises and sermons.

Albertanus m Late Roman
Possibly derived from Albertus. Albertanus of Brescia (born Albertano da Brescia) was an author of Latin social treatises and sermons.

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".

Alceu m Catalan, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Sicilian
Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian and Sicilian form of Alcaeus. Known bearers of this name include Brazilian writer and journalist Alceu Amoroso Lima (1893-1983) and Brazilian soccer player Alceu Rodrigues Simoni Filho (b... [more]

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, Latvian
Finnish 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 Literature
Created 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, Literature
Means "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]

Aliette f French, French (Belgian)
French variant of Éliette. This name is borne by Aliette de Bodard (1982-), a science-fiction and fantasy writer.

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 Greek
Diminutive of Angeliki. This name was borne by Angeliki „Alki“ Zei (December 15, 1925 – February 27, 2020), a Greek novelist and children's writer.

Almaïde f Literature (Rare)
Variant of Alma 1. It appears in 'Almaïde d'Etremont' (1900), a novel by the French poet Francis Jammes.

Almatine f Dutch (Rare)
Meaning unknown. It might possibly be a combination of Alma 1 with any feminine name that ends in -tine, such as Christine and Martine.... [more]

Aloma f Catalan (Rare), Literature
This 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, Literature
This 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 Literature
Variant 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.

Amaïdée f Literature (Rare)
Feminine form of Amédée. Used in 'Amaïdée' (1889), a poem by the French author Jules Barbey d'Aurévilly.

Amarantus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Amarantos. A known bearer was Amarantus of Alexandria, an ancient Greek writer from the 1st century BC.

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.

Amdzhed m Circassian
Kabardian form of Amjad.... [more]

Amgalantör m Mongolian
Means "peaceful power" in Mongolian, from амгалан (amgalan) meaning "peace, calm" and төр (tör) meaning "state, government" or "power, authority".

Aminatta f Western African (Rare)
Variant of Aminata. This is borne by Aminatta Forna (1964-), a British writer of Scottish and Sierra Leonean descent.

Amiya m & f Indian, Bengali
Possibly 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.

Amleth m Literature, Medieval Scandinavian
Origins uncertain. This earlier form of Hamlet appeared in a story published by Danish writer Christiern Pedersen in 1514, based on a legend recorded by Saxo Grammaticus in his 'History of the Danes'.

Amnat m Thai
Means "authority, force, power" in Thai.

Ampflise f Arthurian Cycle
Form 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, Tamil
MEANING: ( rootless, baseless ,without authority, not resting on authority )... [more]

Anacreon m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Anakreon. This name was borne by a Greek lyric poet from the 5th century BC.

Anactoria f Literature, Greek Mythology (Latinized, ?), Ancient Greek (Latinized, ?)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνακτορία (Anaktoria), derived from ἀνακτόρῐος (anaktorios) "royal", literally "belonging to a king, a lord" from ἀνάκτωρ (anaktor) "lord", from αναξ (anax) "lord"... [more]

Anada f Hungarian
Artistic version of Anna, created by Hungarian author Lajos Zilahi as his 1928 novels' main character.

Anaíde f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Anaïs. A famous bearer was Brazilian poet Anaíde Beiriz (1905-1930).

Anamari f Spanish (Latin American)
Contraction of Ana and María. This name is borne by Mexican writer and academic Anamari Gomís (born Ana María Gomís Iniesta, 1950).

Anapsychia f Late Roman
Derived 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.

Anaxandrides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Anaxandros" in Greek, derived from the name Anaxandros combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides).... [more]

Anaxippus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Anaxippos. This was the name of an Athenian comic poet from the 4th century BC.

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 Latvian
Feminine 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, Astronomy
From 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]

Anitra f Theatre, Norwegian (Rare), Swedish (Rare), Hungarian (Rare), English (American)
Coined by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen for a Bedouin princess in his play Peer Gynt (1867). The popularity of this name spiked in the United States in the 1970s when the model Anitra Ford (1942-) appeared on the game show The Price Is Right from 1972 to 1976.

Annalis m Ancient Roman
Roman 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]

Anoeschka f Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Variant of Anuschka. This is borne by Namibian author Anoeschka von Meck (1967-).

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.

Antar m Arabic
Means "brave, bold, champion" in Arabic.... [more]

Anteia f Greek Mythology
According to Homer and other early writers, this was the name of the consort of Proetus. The tragic poets gave the name of the consort of Proetus as Stheneboea.

Anthippus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Anthippos. This was the name of an ancient Greek comic poet, of whom it is not (yet) certain whether he really existed.

Anticlides m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Antikleides. A known bearer of this name was the Greek writer Anticlides of Athens (3rd or 4th century BC).

Antiphanes m Ancient Greek
Derived 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.

Antolina f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Diminutive of Antonia. Perhaps most famously borne by author Anaïs Nin, whose full birth name was Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell.

Ántonia f Literature
Used in "My Ántonia", as the name of a Bohemian (Czech) protagonist. A form of the name Antonia, different than the usual Czech form Antonie 1... [more]

Anyte f Ancient Greek
Feminine 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]

Aphthonius m Late Greek (Latinized), Late Roman, History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Aphthonios. Notable bearers of this name include the Greek sophist and rhetorician Aphthonius of Antioch (4th century AD) and the Roman writer Aelius Festus Aphthonius (4th century AD)... [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.

Apshina m Georgian (Rare), Literature
Georgian form of Afshin. This name is mostly used in the Georgian highlands.... [more]

Apuleyo m Spanish (Rare)
Spanish form of Apuleius. This is borne by Colombian writer Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza (1932-).

Arabel f Literature, Medieval English, English (British), Scottish
Variant of Arabella.... [more]

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 Latin
Means "plowman" in Latin. This was the name of a sixth-century Christian poet from Italy.

Archestratus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Archestratos. This name was borne by an ancient Greek poet from the 4th century BC.

Archetimos m Ancient Greek
Derived 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 Greek
Derived from Greek ἀρχή (arche) meaning "power, rulership" (compare the related word ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master")‎ combined with the masculine name suffix -ίας (-ias)... [more]

Archilochus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Archilochos. This was the name of a Greek lyric poet from the 7th century BC.... [more]

Architimus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Variant of Archetimus (See Archetimos). This was the name of a 1st-century Ancient Greek writer.

Arctinus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Arktinos. This was the name of a Greek epic poet, who was said to have been a pupil of Homer.

Arent m Medieval Dutch, East Frisian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare), Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Medieval Dutch and East Frisian form of Arnold as well as a Scandinavian variant of Arend. As for the Netherlands: this given name is still in use there today, but it is not as common there as its modern form Arend is.... [more]

Argante m Literature, Italian
Name 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, Theatre
Feminine 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 Culture
In 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]

Ariste m French (Rare), French (Belgian, Rare)
French form of Aristus. It appears in the play Les Femmes Savantes (1672) by the French playwright Molière. A known bearer was Ariste Jacques Trouvé-Chauvel (1805-1883), a French politician.

Arjo m Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare)
At least one source lists this name as being a combination of the names Adrianus and Johannes, but it could also easily be a combination of a name starting with Ar- (such as Arend) with a name starting with Jo- (such as Jozef)... [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.

Arn m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish (Rare), Old Danish, Literature
Variant of Arne 1. Arn Magnusson is a fictional character in the 'Crusades' trilogy (1998-2000) by Swedish author Jan Guillou.

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 German
German 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.

Arofel m Literature
Meaning unknown.... [more]

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, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit ऋषि (ṛ́ṣi) denoting a singer of sacred hymns, a poet, or a sage.

Arslanbek m Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Turkmen (Rare), Uzbek (Rare)
Derived from the Turkic noun arslan meaning "lion" (see Aslan) combined with the Turkish military title beg meaning "chieftain, master".... [more]

Artald m Medieval French, Medieval Polish
Derived from Old High German hart "strong; hard" and Old High German walt "power, authority".

Artham m Literature
Variant of Arthur, used in Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga. The character was inspired by the author's brother, Arthur.

Artush m Armenian
Diminutive of Artashes. This is one of the main characters in Azerbaijani writer and journalist Ali Akbar's novel Artush and Zaur.

Árvácska f Hungarian
Means "pansy" in Hungarian. This was used by the Hungarian author Zsigmond Móricz for his 1940 novel of the same name.

Arwald m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English ār "honour, glory" (from aizō) and weald "powerful, mighty" or "authority, leader"... [more]

Ascan m German (Rare), Danish (Archaic)
German and Danish form of Ascanius. It can also be a younger form of an ancient Germanic name that consists of the elements asc meaning "ash tree" and wini meaning "friend".... [more]

Ashe f Yoruba
From Yoruba àṣẹ meaning "power, authority, command". In Yoruba religion, àṣẹ is the natural power that makes things happen and produces change.

Asmat f Literature, Georgian
Georgian form of Asma according to a Russian source, but Georgian sources say that this name means "innocent, chaste, virginal" and "honest" in Arabic.... [more]

Asnawi m Indonesian, Filipino, Maranao, Malay
From the name of medieval Arab writer and scholar Jamal al-Din al-Asnawi (1305-1370), whose name was derived from the Egyptian city of Esna.

Asnetha f Literature (Rare)
Presumably a form of Asenath. Miss Asnetha Sleep is a character in The Tilted Cross (1961) by Australian author Hal Porter.

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, Literature
Variant 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 Literature
Claimed 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.

Astyanassa f Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Astyanax. This was the name of Helen of Troy’s maid, supposedly the first author of erotic texts and poetry.

Athelston m Medieval English, English (Rare), Literature
Medieval variant of Æthelstan, which is still in use today. In literature, this is the name of the eponymous character of the Middle English verse romance Athelston (14th century), the author of which is unknown.... [more]

Athenodora f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Athenodoros. This was used by American author Stephenie Meyer for a character in her novel Breaking Dawn (2008) of the Twilight series.

Athenogenes m Ancient Greek, History (Ecclesiastical)
Means "born of Athena" from the name of the goddess Athena combined with Greek γενής (genes) meaning "born"... [more]

Atlantic m English
The term “Atlantic” was in the sixth century BC by a Greek poet, Atlantikôi pelágei or the “Sea of Atlas.”

Atréju m Literature
Created 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 Guanche
From 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 Thai
From Thai อรรถ (at) meaning "essence" and สิทธิ์ (sit) meaning "right, authority, privilege".

Auden m & f English
Transferred use of the surname Auden, which is derived from the Germanic given name Aldwin (its Old English equivalent is Ealdwine)... [more]

Aurelino m Portuguese (Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Diminutive of Aurelio or variant of Aureliano. ... [more]

Ausonius m Ancient Roman
Derivative of Auson. This is the name of a Roman poet (310-395).

Auszrine f Baltic Mythology
Either 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]

Author m English (American, Rare)
From a misapprehension of the spelling of the name Arthur or from the occupation.

Autocrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Autokrates. This name was borne by an ancient Athenian comic poet.

Automedon m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek αὐτός (autos) meaning "self" combined with the Greek noun μέδων (medon) meaning "ruler" (see Medon).... [more]

Auxtin m Basque
Basque form of Augustin. This name is borne by Basque writer Auxtin Zamora (*1943).

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

Ayita f English (Modern, Rare, ?), African American (Rare), Western African (Rare)
The origins of this name are uncertain. Though it is popularly claimed to mean "first to dance" in Cherokee, this appears to be untrue.... [more]

Azalbibi f Uzbek
Derived from the Uzbek azal meaning "eternity" and bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman".

Azazello m Literature
Variant 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 Italian
Italian form of Agellus. The name was popularized by Massimo d'Azeglio (1798-1866) an Italian politician and writer.

Aziraphale m Literature
Aziraphale 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 Literature
Aziyadé (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 Malay
From the name of 14th-century Islamic scholar and writer Shihab al-Din Abul 'Abbas Ahmad bin Hamdan al-Azra'i.

Azraqi m Indonesian
From Abul-Mahāsin Abu Bakr Zaynuddin Azraqi, an 11th-century poet who lived in Iran.

Baba f English
Diminutive 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]

Babrius m Ancient Roman (Hellenized)
Latinized form of a Hellenized form of the name Valerius (see Babrios). This was the name of a 2nd-century author of a collection of Greek fables, many of which are known today as Aesop's Fables.

Bafta f German (Modern, Rare)
The given name of the Afro--German writer Bafta Sarbo.

Bahiyyih f Persian
Bahíyyih Khánum (1846-1932), the daughter of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith... [more]

Baiquan m Chinese
From 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".

Bakhva m Mingrelian, Georgian, Ossetian, Literature
Georgian sources state that this name is of Mingrelian origin and means "well-set, stocky".... [more]

Baldowald m Medieval, Medieval French, Old High German, Old Saxon
Old High German bald "bold" + Old Saxon wald, Old High German walt "power, authority".

Balendiñe f Basque
Coined by Sabino Arana Goiri and Koldo Elizalde as a Basque equivalent of Valentina and Valentine 2... [more]

Balladyna f Polish (Rare), Theatre
Used 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.

Barcroft m English (Australian, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Barcroft. Barcroft Henry Thomas Boake (1866-1892) was an Australian poet.

Bardroy m Popular Culture
Meaning unknown. Manga author Yana Toboso used this name for a character in her popular manga serie 'Kuroshitsuji'.

Bartho m Dutch, Afrikaans
Short 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 Literature
This 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]

Barton m English, Popular Culture
Transferred use of the surname Barton. In popular culture, Barton Fink is the name of a playwright in the 1991 film "Barton Fink".

Basiel m Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare)
Dutch form of Basilius. A known bearer of this name was the Belgian priest and poet Basiel De Craene (1880-1956).

Basri m Arabic, Indonesian, Malay, Turkish
Means "my vision" from Arabic بصر (basar) meaning "vision, sight". It is often given in honour of Muslim theologian and writer Hasan al-Basri.

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'.

Baŭtramiej m Belarusian (Rare), Literature
Belarusian form of Bartholomaios (see Bartholomew). This form is rare and might even be archaic; Varfalamiej is the form most commonly used today.... [more]

Beatrijs f Dutch, Flemish, Literature
Dutch 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]

Beedle m Literature
Possibly a variant of Bede.... [more]

Beglar m Georgian (Rare)
Derived from the Ottoman Turkish plural form of the Turkish military title beg meaning "chieftain, master".... [more]

Beinta f Faroese, Danish (Rare)
Faroese feminine form of Benedict (originally a short form of Benadikta and Bænadikta, now regarded as an independent name)... [more]

Belacqua m Literature
Possibly 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 Legend
In 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.

Belkis f Spanish (Latin American), Spanish, Spanish (Caribbean)
Spanish borrowing of Bilqis. Bearers of this name include the late Cuban artist Belkis Ayón (1967-1999) and Cuban-American writer Belkis Cuza Malé (1942-).

Bellamira f Spanish (Latin American, Rare), Theatre
Probably 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 Theatre
Derived 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 Literature
Apparently 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 Sorbian
Sorbian form of Benno. Beno Budar (*1946) is a Sorbian writer and translator.

Beorhtweald m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English beorht "bright" and weald "powerful, mighty" or "authority, leader". Cognate to German Berthold.

Berdi m Turkmen
Means "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]

Berenilde f Portuguese (Brazilian), French (Rare)
Portuguese and French form of Bernhild.... [more]

Berlie f English (Rare), American (South, Archaic)
Berlie Doherty (born 1943) is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal.

Berwald m Medieval French, Medieval Dutch
Derived from Old High German bero "bear" and walt "power, authority".

Bérylune f Theatre
Perhaps 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 Georgian
Short 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 Georgian
Form of Besik with the Georgian nominative suffix -ი (-i). It is only used in Georgian when the name is written stand-alone.... [more]

Bessel m West Frisian (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Of Frisian origin, this name is possibly a diminutive of a shortened form of Germanic names that contain either the element bern meaning "bear" or the element beraht meaning "bright"... [more]

Bethny f English
Variant of Bethany. A notable bearer is the author Bethny Ricks.

Betita f Spanish (Latin American, Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Diminutive of Elizabeth and other names containing a similar sound. Also compare Beta and the masculine equivalent Betito.... [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, Indian
Sanskrit 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.

Bianor m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from either Greek βία (bia) meaning "bodily strength, force" or βίος (bios) meaning "life" combined with ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man".... [more]

Bibiaxtar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and Akhtar.

Bibihadicha f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name Khadija.

Bibihayot f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and hayot meaning "life".

Bibijahon f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and jahon meaning "the world".

Bibijamol f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and jamol meaning "beauty".

Bibimaryam f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name Maryam.

Bibiniyoz f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and niyoz meaning "entreaty, alms".

Bibinovvot f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and novvot meaning "rock sugar".

Bibinozik f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and nozik meaning "fine, delicate".

Bibioy f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and oy meaning "moon".

Bibiqamar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and qamar meaning "moon".

Bibiqand f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and qand meaning "sugarcube".

Bibiqiz f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and qiz meaning "girl".

Bibirajab f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name Rajab.

Bibirayhon f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and rayhon meaning "basil".

Bibiro'zi f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and ro'z meaning "day".

Bibisafar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and safar meaning "trip, journey".

Bibisaida f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name Saida.

Bibisanam f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and sanam meaning "idol, beautiful woman".

Bibisan'at f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and san'at meaning "art, craft".

Bibishahar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and shahar meaning "city, large town".

Bibishakar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and shakar meaning "sugar, sweet".

Bibishamsiya f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and shamsiya meaning "parasol".

Bibisohiba f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and sohiba meaning "owner, possessor (fem.)".

Bibisuluv f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and sulu(v) meaning "beautiful".

Bibisuman f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and suman meaning "jasmine".

Bibitoj f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and toj meaning "crown".

Bibizar f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and zar meaning "gold, wealth".

Bibizaynab f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and the given name Zaynab.

Bibizilol f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and zilol meaning "crystal-clear, limpid, unclouded".

Bibizor f Uzbek
From the Uzbek bibi meaning "mother, learned woman, authoritative woman" and zor meaning "entreaty, need, desire".

Bies m Dutch (Rare)
Meaning unknown, possibly of West Frisian origin.... [more]

Bijan m Persian, Literature
Modern 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.

Bindi f Indigenous Australian, Nyungar
Means "butterfly" from the word bindi-bindi in Nyungar, spoken in Western Australian near Perth.... [more]

Bingquan f & m Chinese
From 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 Vietnamese
Derived 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 Literature
Used 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), Yiddish (Dutchified)
As a Dutch name, it is a variant of Bloem. But as a Yiddish name, it is a transcription of Blume. A known bearer of this name was Bloeme Evers-Emden (1926-2016), a Dutch Jewish teacher, child psychologist, and author who attended school 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 Greek
The 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”.

Bolette f Danish, Theatre, Greenlandic, Norwegian (Rare), Swedish (Rare)
Diminutive of Bodil. Bolette Wrangel is a character in the play 'Fruen fra havet' (Engl. 'The Lady from the Sea') written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1888.

Bonafos m Catalan, Medieval Catalan, Medieval Spanish, Judeo-Catalan, Judeo-Spanish, Judeo-Provençal, Provençal
Older Catalan and Provençal form of Boniface.... [more]

Bonagiunta m & f Medieval Italian, Literature
Derived 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]

Bonald m Germanic
Derived from Latin bonus meaning "good" combined with Old German walt meaning "power, authority".

Bonconte m Medieval Italian, Literature
Derived from the Italian adjective bono meaning "good" combined with the Italian noun conte meaning "count" or "earl" (also compare Contessa).... [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 Literature
Created 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 Persian
meaning in Persian: Young, Youth, Fresh, Healthy, Brave... [more]

Borros m Literature
Created 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]

Bov m Obscure (Germanized, Rare)
The Pseudonym Bov Bjerg was formed from the name of the Danish village Bovbjerg with a historical lighthouse and is borne by the German writer Rudolf „Rolf“ Schmidt.

Boy m North Frisian, West Frisian, East Frisian, Dutch, Danish, German, English (Rare)
Variant form of Boye. In English-speaking countries, the name is usually derived from the English word boy meaning "boy" (in a manner comparable to the name Sonny) or a short form of the given names Boyce and Boyd.... [more]

Brahmagupta m Sanskrit
Brahmagupta 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 Portuguese
Portuguese form of Braulio. Known bearers of this name include former Brazilian soccer player Bráulio Barbosa de Lima (b. 1948) and Bráulio Tavares (b... [more]

Brené f English (American, Rare)
Probably a combination of two names, such as a name starting with B- with René or Renée.... [more]

Brilliana f English (Rare, Archaic)
Coined by Lord Conway in the early 17th century for his daughter (who would later become a well-known English letter-writer).... [more]

Broselianda f Obscure
This 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.

Brunton m Scottish (Rare), English (Australian)
Transferred use of the surname Brunton. James Brunton Stephens (1835-1902) was a Scottish-born Australian poet, and author of 'Convict Once'.

Bucephalus m Pet, Ancient Greek, Literature
Means "ox-head" in Ancient Greek. From the Ancient Greek βούς (bous) 'ox' and κεφαλή (kephalē) 'head'. ... [more]

Buckingham m English (Archaic)
Transferred use of the surname Buckingham. A known bearer of this name was the American writer and politician Buckingham Smith (1810-1871).

Burny m English, Dutch (Rare)
Variant of Berny (in which case the spelling is more phonetical) and Burney.... [more]

Bustianu m Sardinian
Short form of Sebustianu. Bustianu Satta (1867 - 1914) is considered the best-known Sardinian poet.

Byeong-cheol m Korean
From 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 Korean
From 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.

Cabiria f Italian (Rare), Popular Culture
Perhaps a Latinized form of Greek Καβειρία (Kabeiria), an epithet of the goddess Demeter, possibly derived from the name of Mount Kabeiros in Asia Minor; see also Kabeiro... [more]

Cadenus m Literature
Invented 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 Mythology
Older 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 Literature
Invented 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.

Calidorus m Theatre, Ancient Roman
Calidorus is a character in 'Pseudolus', a play by the ancient Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus.

Caligorante m Carolingian Cycle, Literature
Meaning 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]

Callimachus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kallimachos. This name was borne by a Greek poet from the 3rd century BC.

Callinus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kallinos. This was the name of an ancient Greek poet from the 7th century BC.

Callixenus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kallixenos. A known bearer of this name was the Greek historian and author Callixenus of Rhodes (3rd century BC).

Calpernia f English
Variant 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 Literature
Camaris 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.

Camerina f Spanish (Mexican, Rare)
Feminine form of Camerino. This was borne by Mexican poet Camerina Pavón y Oviedo (1862-1893).

Campion m English (Rare), Literature
This 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 Obscure
Feminine 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 Roman
Derived from Latin canus "old, grey(-haired), elderly" or Latin canis "dog." This name was borne by Canius Rufus, a Roman poet.

Carcinus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Karkinos. This was the name of a Greek playwright from the 4th century BC.

Caresse f English (Rare)
From the French word caresse meaning "caress", ultimately from Latin carus "dear, beloved". This name was borne by Caresse Crosby (1892-1970), original name Mary 'Polly' Phelps Jacob, an American socialite and the inventor of the modern bra... [more]

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 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.

Carolivia f English (American, Rare)
A contraction of Carol 1 and Olivia.... [more]

Casina f Theatre
Possibly 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]

Cassilda f Portuguese (Rare), American (Archaic)
Variant of Casilda. It appears in 'The King in Yellow' (1895), a book of short stories by American writer Robert W. Chambers.

Cassiodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Late Roman, History
Latinized form of Kassiodoros. A well-known bearer of this name was Cassiodorus, a Roman statesman and writer from the 6th century AD.

Castara f English (Rare, Archaic), Literature
From a volume of poems titled 'Castara' first published anonymously in 1634. Later editions reveal the author, William Habington, who has invented the name for his wife. Maybe it is based on Latin castus "pure, chaste".