These
names are used primarily to refer to historical persons. They are not
commonly used by other people.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Werenfrid m History (Ecclesiastical)Variant of
Warinfrid via the Latinized form
Werinfridus or
Werenfridus. This was the name of an 8th-century saint and Benedictine missionary, also known as Werenfridus, who was allegedly born in England and assisted Saint
Willibrord in his labors to convert the Frisians to Christianity.
Wetukis m History (Ecclesiastical)Possibly a Geʽez form of
Eutychius. This was the name of a Coptic Christian saint, listed in the Ethiopian Coptic Church calendar, who was a follower and disciple of the apostles.
Wijayatunggadewi f HistoryDerived from Sanskrit विजयतुङ्गदेवी (
vijayatuṅgadevi) meaning "victory of the high goddess". This name was borne by Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi (also known as Tribhuwannottunggadewi Jayawishnuwardhani (from Sanskrit त्रिभुवनतुङ्गदेवी जयविष्णुवर्धनी (
tribhuvanatuṅgadewi jayavishnuvardhani) meaning "high goddess of the three worlds, victory of Vishnu's prosperity"), a Javanese queen regnant and the third Majapahit monarch, who reigned from 1328 to 1350.
Wikramawardhana m HistoryDerived from Sanskrit विक्रम
(vikrama) meaning "stride, pace, valour" and वर्धन
(vardhana) meaning "increasing, growing, thriving". This was the name of the fifth king of the Majapahit Empire who reigned from 1389 to 1429.
Wilgefortis f Medieval, History (Ecclesiastical)This name is best known for being the name of a late medieval saint, who was discovered to be fictional in the late 16th century but continued to be venerated in some places until 1969, when the Church finally removed her from the liturgical calendar and supressed her cult... [
more]
Winguric m Germanic, HistoryThe first element comes from
vinga, which is probably derived from
viga "battle" or Old High German
wîg "warrior" - but this is not certain. If
vinga isn't derived from either of those two, then its meaning is lost... [
more]
Winthir m History (Ecclesiastical)Blessed Winthir was probably a traveling preacher who Christianized the Upper Bavarian region west of the river Isar in the 8th or 12th century. He is venerated in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, Germany... [
more]
Wiro m Anglo-Saxon, History (Ecclesiastical), Dutch (Rare)Meaning uncertain. According to one Dutch source, the name might possibly be related to the Old English verb
werian meaning "to defend, to protect". Also compare Old English
wer meaning "man, husband" as well as "hero, warrior".... [
more]
Won-beom m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Cheoljong (1831-1864), twenty-fifth king of Joseon.
Wonnow m History (Ecclesiastical)Variant or corruption of
Winwaloe, in the case of St Wonnow's Church, the parish church of Wonastow in South East Wales, which is dedicated to Saint Wonnow or Winwaloe, a 6th-century saint in Brittany.
Wudi m HistoryWudi is known as the most successful
Han ruler in China.
Wulmar m Frankish, History (Ecclesiastical)A Benedictine abbott born near Boulogne, Picardy, France, he was actually married but was separated from his wife and entered the Benedictines as a lay brother at Haumont, in Hainault. He was eventually ordained and was the founder of the rnonastery of Samer near Boulogne, which he served as abbot... [
more]
Wuna f History (Ecclesiastical)Either derived from Old High German
wunna "bliss, delight, pleasure" or from Old English
wuna "habit, custom; practice, rite". Saint Wuna of Wessex was a 7th and 8th-century Anglo-Saxon noblewoman and Christian saint.
Wynkyn m History (Rare), LiteratureWynkyn de Worde (originally Jan van Wynkyn) was William Caxton's journeyman, after whose death he became the first printer to set up his shop in Fleet Street, "which was for centuries perhaps the world's most famous centre of printing." It was used in the popular children's poem
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Dutch Lullaby) (1889).
Xuanzang m HistoryFrom Chinese 玄
(xuán) meaning "black, deep, profound, mysterious" and 奘
(zàng) meaning "fat, stout, great, huge". Xuanzang (c. 602–664) was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who traveled to India in the seventh century and described the interaction between Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism during the early Tang dynasty.
Yashovarman m Sanskrit, HistoryFrom Sanskrit
यशस् (
yáśas) "glory, fame, renown" and
वर्मन् (
varman) "armor, protection". This was the name of a medieval Indian ruler of Kannauj who founded the Varman dynasty of Northern India.
Yeok m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Jungjong (1488-1544), king of Joseon from 1506-1544.
Yeon m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Seonjo (1552-1608), fourteenth king of Joseon.
Yoshitsune m HistoryFrom Japanese 義
(yoshi) meaning "righteous" and 経
(tsune) meaning "elapse, pass through". Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–1188), or simply Minamoto Yoshitsune, was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods.
Ypomoni f Late Greek, History (Ecclesiastical)A name meaning "patience" in Greek. This was the name that Helen Dragaš, the wife of Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, took when she became a nun at the Monastery of Lady Martha. Two of her eight children became emperors: John VIII and Constantine XI, that latter of whom was the legendary final Byzantine emperor... [
more]
Yrieix m French (Rare), History (Ecclesiastical)Possibly a Gallicized form of
Aredius. This was the name of a 6th-century Catholic saint born at Limoges, France, also known as Saint Aredius, who served for a time in the court of the Franks and then founded the monastery of Atane in Limousin... [
more]
Yu m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Sejo (1417-1468), seventh king of Joseon.
Yung m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Yeonsan (1476-1506), king of Joseon from 1494-1506 and one of the worst tyrants in Korean history.
Ywi m Anglo-Saxon, History (Ecclesiastical)Perhaps from the Old English elements
íw "yew tree" (see
īwaz) and
wig "war". Ywi (or Iwig) was an Anglo-Saxon saint venerated in the English county of Wiltshire in the Middle Ages, where his relics were enshrined (at the county town, Wilton, near Salisbury)... [
more]
Zabibe f Ancient Semitic, HistoryOld Arabic name, possibly related to the modern Arabic noun زَبِيبَة
(zabība) meaning "raisin". This was the name of an 8th-century BC queen of Qedar, an ancient Arab nomadic tribe. She was a vassal of the Assyrian king
Tiglath-Pileser III.
Zaitian m Chinese, HistoryThis was the personal name of the Guangxu Emperor (1871-1908), the second-to-last emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
Zan m Italian, HistoryDiminutive form of
Zanni. Zan Ganassa was the stage name of an early actor-manager of commedia dell'arte, whose company was one of the first to tour outside Italy... [
more]
Zebunnissa f Urdu, Indian (Muslim), HistoryMeans "beauty of women", from Persian zeb meaning "beauty" combined with Arabic nissa meaning "women". This name was borne by Zeb-un-Nissa (1638-1702), an Mughal princess who was also a poet.
Zetian f & m Chinese, HistoryMeans "to the day" in Mandarin Chinese. This is the posthumous name of Wu Zhao, the sole female ruler of the Chinese Empire.
Zinat un-Nisa f HistoryClassical Persian name meaning "jewel among women", from Persian زینت
(zinat) "jewel, ornament" (compare
Zinat) and Arabic النِّسَاء
(an-nisāʔ) "women" (compare
Nisa)... [
more]
Zymen m HistoryIn the case of the Barbary corsair Zymen Danseker (c.1579-c.1611), it is an anglicized form of the Dutch name
Siemen.