American Submitted Names

American names are used in the United States. See also about American names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Pluma f American (Rare)
Borrowing from Latin plūma, meaning "feather."
Plumeria f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering plant that is also known as frangipani.
Plummer m English
Transferred use of the surname Plummer.
Plutina f American (South, Archaic)
Probably an invented name, used primarily in the Southern United States in the 19th century. Plutina Cox is the heroine of Waldron Baily's novel 'The Heart of the Blue Ridge' (1915), set in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Plymouth m & f English (Rare), English (American)
Either derived directly from the place name (see Plymouth) or transferred from the surname which is derived from the place name.
Po m English (American, Rare, ?)
Diminutive of names beginning with P like Philip, etc.
Poe m & f Popular Culture, English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Poe.... [more]
Poem m & f English
From French poème or Latin poema, from Greek poēma, early variant of poiēma ‘fiction, poem,’ from poiein ‘create.’ See also Poema.
Poesy f American (South, Rare, Archaic)
Originally a variant of Posy, this name was sometimes associated with poetry, from Old French poesie, ultimately from Greek poesis "composition, poetry," from poein "to make or compose"
Poet f & m English (American, Modern, Rare)
From the English word meaning "someone who writes poems". From the Old French poete, from Latin poēta 'poet, author', from Ancient Greek poiētēs (ποιητής) 'creator, maker, author, poet', from poieō (poieō) 'I make, compose'.
Pognon m French (Cajun), African American, American (South)
Transferred use of the surname Pognon.
Poinsettia f English (Rare)
From the flower Euphorbia pulcherrima, which was named for an American Minister to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who discovered the flower in 1828.
Polaris f & m Astronomy, Popular Culture, English (Modern, Rare)
Derived from Latin stella polaris, meaning "pole star". This is the proper Latin name of the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. It is borne by a character (real name Lorna Dane) in Marvel's X-Men line of comics, created in 1968.
Polk m English
Transferred use of the surname Polk.
Poll f English
Short for Polly.
Pollye f English
A variant spelling of Polly.
Polo m Spanish, English, Italian, English (American), Medieval Spanish, Medieval Italian
This name likely roots from Paolo or Paulo, and Polo is a variant of both. It can be used in association with the sport also, but very rarely is.
Pomeroy m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pomeroy.
Pontian m English
English form of Pontianus. This name was borne by a pope from the 3rd century AD.
Pontress f American (Modern, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pontress.
Poot m American (Rare)
Malik "Poot" Carr is the name of a character in the HBO drama 'The Wire' (2002-2008).
Pop m & f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Poppy and nickname derived from pop, shortened variation of papa "father," in use in American English as early as 1838.
Pope m English (Archaic)
From English pope, a religious title for a bishop.
Poppea f English (Rare, Archaic), Theatre, Italian (Rare, Archaic, ?)
Variant of Poppaea. This name was used for the title character of Claudio Monteverdi's opera 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' (1642).
Poppet f & m English
From the Middle English popet, meaning "a small child or doll." Used in specifically British and formerly British controlled countries.
Poppi f English
Variant of Poppy.
Porcelain f English (American, Rare)
Taken from the material porcelain, ultimately derived from Italian porcellana "cowrie shell".
Portland f English (Rare)
Meaning, "land surrounding the water" and used in reference to the place of Portland, Oregon which itself is named after Portland, Maine, which is thusly named after the Isle of Portland, England. This name was borne by comedienne, actress, and dancer, Portland Hoffa.
Portwood m English
Transferred use of the surname Portwood.
Portya f English
Variant of Portia.
Posa f English (Rare)
Variant of Posy.
Posey f & m English
Transferred use of the surname Posey or variant of Posy.
Posh f Popular Culture, English (American, Modern, Rare)
From the English word posh, assigned as a nickname 'Posh Spice' to the Spice Girl Victoria Beckham by the magazine 'Top of the Pops'.
Possy f & m English (Rare), Literature
Rare variant of Posy or a transferred use of a rare surname, Possy.
Posthuma f Medieval English (?), English (Archaic)
Feminization of Posthumus. (Cf. Postuma.) This was used as a second or third name to indicate the child's father had died before her birth, e.g. Gulielma Maria Posthuma Springett (1644-1694), the wife of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania.
Potter m English, English (Puritan)
Transferred use of the surname Potter.
Pouponne f Louisiana Creole
Feminization of Poupon.
Powell m American
Transferred use of the surname Powell.
Power m English (Modern, Rare)
From the English word power meaning "a source or means of supplying energy" or transferred use of the surname Power 1 or Power 2.
Powerful f African American
From Middle English pouerful, powarfull, equivalent to power +‎ -ful.
Powers m English (Rare), Romani (Archaic)
Transferred use of the surname Powers.
Prairie f American (Rare)
From the English word for a flat treeless grassland, taken from French prairie "meadow". This was used by Thomas Pynchon for a character in his novel 'Vineland' (1990).
Prathia f African American
The Rev. Dr. Prathia Hall, a theologian and ethicist, was active in SNCC and a prominent civil rights movement speaker—she was said to have influenced Dr. King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, having used the phrase repeatedly in a speech he heard in 1962.
Pratt m English (American, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pratt.
Prayer f & m English
Middle English from Old French preiere, based on Latin precarius ‘obtained by entreaty,’ from prex, prec- prayer.’
Preacher m English (American)
Transferred use of the surname Preacher.
Prentice m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Prentice.
Prentiss m & f English, Scottish
Transferred use of the surname Prentiss.
Pres m English
Short form of Preston, Prescott, or other names beginning with "Pres". Preston "Pres" Dillard is a character in the 1938 film "Jezebel."
Prescott m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Prescott.
Preshea f English
A notable fictional bearer of this name is Preshea Villentia, née Buss from Gail Carriger’s Finishing School book series. A notable bearer of a variant of this name is gospel singer Preashea Hilliard.
Press m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Press or possibly a short form of names with the element press, such as Presley.
Pressley f English (Americanized, Rare)
Variant of Presley. The most popular year for this name was 2007 when 40 girls were given this name.
Prestina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Preston
Prestyn m & f English (American, Rare)
Variant and feminine form of Preston.
Pretoria f English (Rare)
Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Priestley m & f English
Transferred use of the surname Priestley.
Prim f English, Literature
Short form of Primrose and Primula.
Primian m English
English form of Primianus.
Primmie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Primula (traditional) and Primrose (modern).... [more]
Princee f English
Variant of Princy.
Princessa f English
Elaboration of Princess.
Princewill m American (Rare)
Transferred use of surname Princewill
Princey m English
Diminutive of Prince and Princeton.
Princi f English
Variant of Princy.
Princie f English
Variant of Princy.
Princy m & f English
Diminutive of Prince and Princess.
Prinze m English
Variant of Prince.
Priscalyn f English (American)
A combination of the name Priscilla or Prisca with the suffix of -lyn.
Priscian m English, German
English and German form of Priscianus. This name was borne by a Latin grammarian from the 6th century AD.
Priscillian m English
English form of Priscillianus. This name was borne by a bishop of Ávila (Spain) from the 4th century AD.
Priss f English
Variant of Pris.
Prissie f English
Diminutive of Priscilla.
Pristina f American (Modern, Rare)
Female form of the Latin word pristinus "pristine" or derived from Pristina, largest city of the Kosovo.
Pristine f English (Modern, Rare)
May be used after the word ‘pristine’, Latin pristinus. May also be used as a combination of Prissy and Christine.
Proctor m English (Archaic)
Transferred use of the surname Proctor.
Prodigy m English (Modern, Rare)
Meaning "gifted".
Prophecy m & f English (American, Modern, Rare), English (African, Rare)
From the English word prophecy, meaning "A prediction, especially one made by a prophet or under divine inspiration."... [more]
Prophet m African American (Modern), English (African)
From the English word prophet, ultimately from Greek προφήτης (prophetes) meaning "one who speaks for a god" (itself from πρό (pro) "before" and φημί (phemi) "to speak, to declare").
Prosperina f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Prosper and Prospero and diminutive form of Prospera.
Prudy f English
Diminutive of Prudence.
Pruitt m English (American, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pruitt.
Prussia f American
From the name of the state Prussia.
Pryor m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pryor.
Psalm m & f English (American, Rare), Filipino (Rare), Various
From the English word psalm which refers to a sacred song or poem, especially one of the hymns by David and others which were collected into the Old Testament Book of Psalms... [more]
Psalms f & m English (Rare), English (African, Rare), Popular Culture
From the title of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament, the plural of Psalm. This was used for a character, a male former slave named Psalms Jackson, in the American Western drama television series Hell on Wheels (2011-2016).
Ptarmigan f English (Rare)
This name comes from a small genus of birds in the grouse subfamily, whose genus name is Lagopus. The name is derived from Scottish Gaelic tàrmachan, which is of unknown origin, and the Pt- spelling was adopted as early as the 1680s through a mistaken Greek construction, which may be based on the Greek word pteron meaning "wing."
Puckett m American (South)
Transferred use of the surname Puckett.
Pulcheria f Late Roman, History, English, Italian, Polish, Corsican (Rare, Archaic), German (Bessarabian)
Derived from Latin pulcher "beautiful". This name was borne by Saint Pulcheria, elder sister of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II. It was also the name of a character in 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Puma f American (Rare)
Spanish from Quechua word puma, the name for a large American feline.
Purdey f & m English (Rare), French (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname, a variant of Purdie.... [more]
Purdy m & f English (Rare)
Variant spelling of Purdie.
Purity f English (Rare)
Middle English from Old French purete, later assimilated to late Latin puritas, from Latin purus ‘pure’. From the English word purity, which means "freedom from immorality."
Purl m English
Transferred use of the surname Purl.
Purple m & f English (Rare)
From English Purple.
Purpose f English
Middle English from Old French porpos, from the verb porposer, variant of proposer. Meaning, "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists."
Pyram m English (American)
English form of Pyramus... [more]
Qetsiyah f American (Modern, Rare), Popular Culture
Variant of Keziah. A character in TV show The Vampire Diaries bears this name.
Qirin m African American
A chimerical creature from East Asian mythology (Chinese/pinyin: qílín, Japanese kirin).
Quade m English
Transferred use of the surname Quade.
Quaid m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Quaid.
Quail m & f English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Quail.
Quan m African American
Invented name from the phonetic element quan.
Quanda f African American
Combination of the phonetic elements quan and da, or a blend of quan with the name Wanda.
Quandale m English (American, Americanized, Modern, Rare)
Quandale Dingle is a cultural idol for teenage guys
Quandra f African American
An invented name, blending the popular phonetic element quan with the name Sandra.
Quaneisha f English (American, Modern, Rare)
Of unknown origin, possibly using the popular feminine suffix -eisha.
Quanell m African American (Rare)
Likely an elaboration of the phonetic element quan with the same ending as Tyrell and Darrell.
Quanessa f African American (Rare)
An invented name, blending the popular phonetic prefix qua and the name Vanessa.
Quanetta f African American (Rare)
Combination of the name Quana with the diminutive suffix -etta.
Quanisha f African American
Combination of the phonetic elements qua, nee and sha.
Quanita f African American (Rare)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements qua, nee and ta... [more]
Quaniyah f African American (Modern, Rare)
Combination of the phonetic elements qua, nee and yah.
Quantae m African American (Rare)
Combination of the phonetic elements quan and tay, or possibly a blend of Quan and Dante.
Quantavia f African American (Rare)
Invented name, probably based on the element quan and Octavia.
Quantella f English (American)
Probably created as a rhyme to Chantella.
Quantis m & f African American
Transferred use of the surname Quantis.
Quantum m English (Modern, Rare)
From Latin, neuter of quantus.
Quartz m & f English (Rare)
Derived from Middle High German twarc, probably from a West Slavic source (compare Czech tvrdy and Polish twardy, both coming from Old Church Slavonic tvrudu meaning "hard," which is derived from Proto-Slavic *tvrd- and then a Proto-Indo-European root *(s)twer- meaning "to grasp, hold, hard.")... [more]
Quashawn m African American (Modern, Rare)
Combination of the popular prefix qua with the name Shawn.
Quasheba f African American (Rare), Afro-American (Slavery-era), Jamaican Patois
Anglicized form of Kwasiba, which is the another form of Kwasi. This was used as an African American name during the slave period.
Quashonda f African American (Modern, Rare)
Combination of the prefix Qua with the name Shonda.
Quatisha f African American (Rare)
An invented name, blending the popular phonetic element qua with names like Latisha and Natisha.
Quavion m African American (Modern, Rare)
Invented name, using the sounds found in names such as Davion, Javion, Xavion and Kavon.
Quavious m African American (Modern, Rare)
Short form of names ending in quavious, such as Marquavious, Jaquavious, Laquavious or Daquavious... [more]
Quavo m African American (Modern, Rare)
Diminutive of Quavius or Quavious, a variant of Jaquavius. This is borne by the American rapper Quavo (1991-), whose full name is Quavious Keyate Marshall.
Quavon m African American
Possibly an elaboration of Von.
Quaylyn m African American (Modern, Rare)
Possibly a combination of the phonetic elements qua, ay and lyn.
Qubilah f African American (Rare)
Qubilah is the name of one of Activist Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz's six daughters.
Que f English (Rare)
Meaning uncertain. This name may possibly be a short form of any feminine given name containing -que-, such as Quentina and Jacqueline.... [more]
Que m American
Meaning unknown, possibly a short form of Quentin. In the USA, it was given to 8 boys born in the USA in 2008.
Queenesther f English (African), African American
Combination of the word queen and Esther, used to honor Queen Esther, the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther in the Bible.
Queenetta f English (Rare), African American (Rare), Popular Culture
Combination of Queen and the suffix etta. This name is borne by Queenetta Carpenter, a character from the American sitcom 'Best Friends Forever'.
Queeney f English
Variant of Queenie.
Queenisha f African American (Modern, Rare)
Perhaps either a variant of Quanisha (via Quenisha) or a combination of Queen and the suffix -isha.
Quena f Medieval English, English (Modern, Rare)
Derived from Old English cwén "woman", this name was originally a diminutive of names containing said element.... [more]
Quenby f & m English
Transferred use of the surname Quenby.
Quennel m African American
Famous bearer is singer Quennel Gaskin.... [more]
Quennell m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Quennell.
Quentan m English (American)
Variant spelling of Quentin and Quintin
Quenton m English
Variant of Quentin.
Quentyn m English, Literature
Variant of Quentin. Used in George R. R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series.
Quenya m American
Possibly a variant of Kenya or Quinn.
Queria f English (Modern, Rare)
Possibly derived from Latin quercu meaning "oak tree".
Querida f African American (Rare), English (Rare), Various (Rare)
From the Spanish word querida which is both a noun meaning "darling" and an adjective meaning "dear, beloved".
Queshon m African American (Modern, Rare)
Variant of KeShawn or KeShaun.
Quest m English
From the English word for a search, ultimately from from Medieval Latin questa "search, inquiry".
Quetcy f American (Hispanic, Rare)
Borne by Quetcy Alma Martínez De Jesús (1956-), a Puerto Rican child singer of the 1960s and 1970s who was based in New York City. Her name may be a derivative of Quetzalli.
Quetzal m & f Nahuatl, American (Hispanic, Rare), Spanish (Mexican)
From Nahuatl quetzalli, meaning "plumage of the quetzal bird, beautiful feather", figuratively meaning "something precious, something beautiful". Can also be a short form of Quetzalcoatl.
Quia f English (Rare)
Shortened version of Laquia.
Quian m African American (Modern, Rare)
Unknown, possibly a variant of Keon or Cian.
Qui Ante' f African American (Rare)
Perhaps an elaboration of Qiana using the popular phonetic suffix tay.
Quieta f Ancient Roman, Italian (Rare), Romanian (Rare), English (Rare), German (Swiss, Rare), Caribbean (Rare)
Derived from Latin quietus, -a, -um "quiet". This was the name of a saint.
Quigg m English (Anglicized)
Diminutive of Quigley. Reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cuaig. In County Down it is Anglicized as Fivey, as if from cúig ‘five’.
Quigley m & f English (Rare), Popular Culture
Transferred use of the surname Quigley.
Quilene f Afrikaans (Rare), Dutch (Rare), English (American, Rare), German (Rare)
Most likely a combination of a name starting with Qui- (such as Quinn and Quirijn) with a name that ends in -lene, such as Helene and Marlene.... [more]
Quill m & f English
Diminutive of Aquilla.... [more]
Quillan m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Quillen.
Quille f & m English, African American
Variant of Quill, or a diminutive of Aquila or Shaquille. It may also be transferred use of the surname Quille.
Quiller m English
Metonymic occupational name for a spoon maker, from Old French cuiller 'spoon', 'ladle'.
Quillon m American (Rare)
Means "Crossed Swords" in French. Also the name of a town in Chile.
Quimby m & f American (Rare)
Transferred use oft he surname Quimby.
Quince m English
“Quince, citrus, fruit”
Quincetta f American (Rare), Italian (Rare, Archaic)
Possibly Italian diminutive of Quinzia. This name is also used as English feminine form of Quincy.
Quincia f Spanish (Rare), English (American, Rare)
Spanish form of Quintia and (American) English feminization of Quincy.
Quindolyn f English
Combination of Quinn and Gwendolyn.
Quinella f English (Rare)
A combination of the name ‘Quinn’ with the common suffix -ella.
Quinesha f African American (Rare)
Elaboration of Quin in the style of names such as Quanisha.
Quinley m & f American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Quinley.
Quinlin m & f English (American, Rare)
From an Irish surname which was a variant of Quinlan.
Quinlyn f & m English
Variant spelling of Quinlan.
Quinlynne f English
Feminine form of Quinlan.
Quinnie f & m English
Diminutive of Quinn.
Quinnlyn f English (American, Modern, Rare)
Feminine variant of Quinlan, influenced by Quinn and the popular name suffix lyn.
Quinny m & f English
Diminutive of Quinn.
Quint m Catalan, Dutch, English, Emilian-Romagnol, French (Rare), German
Catalan, Emilian-Romagnol and French form of Quintus as well as the Dutch, English and German short form of any given name starting with Quint-, such as Quinten and Quintijn (Dutch), Quintus and Quintinus (German) and Quintin (English).... [more]
Quintana f English (American, Modern, Rare)
Perhaps from Latin quintanus "fifth-ranking", from quintus "fifth" (see Quintus) or a transferred use of the surname. In today's English-speaking world it is sometimes perceived as a feminine form of Quintin or Quentin.... [more]
Quintavia f African American (Rare)
Variant of Quantavia, maybe influenced by Quinn or Quintella.
Quintavious m African American (Modern, Rare)
Invented name, probably based on the element quan and Octavius.
Quintelle f English (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Quintus, using the suffix -elle.