HarderToBreathe's Personal Name List

Masculine form of Zora.

Perhaps means "enchanting" or "dawn" in Arabic. This was the name of a minor 12th-century Spanish saint, a convert from Islam. The name was used by Cervantes for a character in his novel Don Quixote (1606), in which Zoraida is a beautiful Moorish woman of Algiers who converts to Christianity and elopes with a Spanish officer.

Means "dawn, aurora" in the South Slavic languages, as well as Czech and Slovak.

Feminine of Ziri.

From the Greek name Ζήνων (Zenon), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus (the poetic form of his name being Ζήν). Zeno was the name of two famous Greek philosophers: Zeno of Elea and Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school in Athens.

Means "zeal, ardor, jealousy" in Greek. He was the personification of zeal or strife in Greek mythology.

Meaning unknown, possibly an invented name. It arose in the 19th century.

Basque form and English variant of Celia as well as a Portuguese variant of Zélia. It may also be the Latinate form of Zélie.

Variant of Xavier.

Possibly from a Polish surname, the meaning of which is uncertain (it may have been a variant of the surname Zalas which originally indicated one who lived "on the other side of the wood", from za "beyond" and las "forest").

Means "peace" in Zulu.

Feminine form of Xavier.

Modern feminine form of Xavier.

French feminine form of Xavier.

Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.

From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.

From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "hill belonging to Wine". A famous bearer of this name was American painter Winslow Homer (1836-1910).

Feminine form of Vladimir.

Latinized form of Viridios, which is of Celtic origin but the meaning is not known for certain. There are theories that it is derived from Proto-Celtic wird "green", or from Proto-Celtic wīrjā "truth" combined with dī- "from, has" (thus meaning "he who has the truth"). This was the name of a god who was venerated in Roman Gaul.
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From a Roman nomen gentile, which was derived from Latin viridis "green".

From Latin vireo, a word Pliny uses for some kind of bird, perhaps the greenfinch, from virere "be green" (see Viridius), which in modern times is applied to an American bird.

Derived from Romanian viorea (see Viorel).

Possibly a variant of Fiona influenced by Viola.

Earlier form of Beatrix.

Means "of the evening", derived from Esperanto vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin vesper.

Latin cognate of Hesperos. This name was used by the British author Ian Fleming for a female character, a love interest of James Bond, in his novel Casino Royale (1953). She also appears in the film adaptations of 1967 and 2006.

Means "valuable" in Esperanto.

Variant of Twila.

Meaning unknown. Perhaps based on the English word twilight, or maybe from a Cajun pronunciation of French étoile "star" [1]. It came into use as an American given name in the late 19th century.

Means "little wind" in Finnish, derived from tuuli "wind". This was the name of a Finnish forest goddess, the daughter of Tapio.

From the Greek name Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.

Means "good" in Hebrew.

From the Hebrew name תִּרְצָה (Tirtsa) meaning "favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.

Anglicized form of Tighearnán.

German male name representing the Germanic god Thor.

Used by JRR Tolkien as the name of a dwarf, Thorin Oakensheild, who is the main dwarf in 'The Hobbit'. Tolkien took the name from the Dvergatal "Catalogue of Dwarves" in the Völuspá, a part of the Poetic Edda.

Modern form of Þóra.

Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.

William Shakespeare made Theseus a central character in his play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595), about his upcoming marriage to the Amazon queen Hippolyta. Shakespeare revisited the character in his later play The Two Noble Kinsmen (1613).

Derived from Greek θηράω (therao) meaning "to hunt".

Often a contracted form of Theodora, but there are also instances where it is actually a name on its own, then derived from Greek theorein "to watch, to look at."

Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.

Modern Greek transliteration of Θεώνη (see Theone), a feminine form of Theon.

Feminine form of Theon.

Meaning uncertain. This name could be derived from the Greek noun θεός (theos) meaning "god", but it can also easily be derived from the Greek verb θέω (theo) meaning "to run fast, to fly" as well as "to shine, to gleam".

Notable bearers of this name include the Greek philosopher and mathematician Theon of Smyrna (2nd century AD) and the Greek scholar and mathematician Theon of Alexandria (4th century AD).

In modern literature, this name is best known for being the name of Theon Greyjoy, a character from the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels written by the American author George R. R. Martin (b. 1948). He also appears in Game of Thrones (2011-2019), a television series based upon the novels.

Younger form of Theodolinde.

Possibly a variant of Theolinde.

Possibly a shortened form of Theolene or Theolinde (compare Theora, Theoda, Theda).

Means "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.

Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.

Means "summer" in Finnish.

Appears to be a form of Welsh Sulgwyn "Pentecost, Whitsunday" (literally "white Sunday", from (Dydd) Sul "Sunday, day of the sun" + gwyn "white, holy, blessed"). But Sul (= "sun") was also the name of a Celtic saint, commemorated in certain Welsh place names (e.g. Llandysul, Llandysilio); Sulwyn is formed from this element + -wyn, name suffix meaning "white, fair" from Welsh gwyn.

Feminine form of Sulwyn.

From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.

From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".

Danish form of Severinus. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher who is regarded as a precursor of existentialism.

From Japanese 空 (sora) or 昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.

Latinate form of Soline and Gascon form of Sollemnia. Saint Solina of Chartres, also known as Solina of Gascony, fled to Chartres, France, to avoid marriage to a pagan. She was beheaded c. 290 AD.

Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.

Feminine form of Solano, a Spanish surname which is used as a given name in honour of Saint Francisco Solano (1549-1610).

Italian and Spanish form of Silvius.

Latinate form of Sibyl.

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).

Means "my princess" in Hebrew, a possessive form of שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament, this was Sarah's name before God changed it (see Genesis 17:15).

Feminine form of Samir 1.

Possibly derived from the name of the city of Samarra (in Iraq) or Samara (in Russia). The former appears in the title of the novel Appointment in Samarra (1934) by John O'Hara, which refers to an ancient Babylonian legend about a man trying to evade death. Alternatively, this name could be derived from the word for the winged seeds that grow on trees such as maples and elms.

The name received a boost in popularity after it was borne by the antagonist in the horror movie The Ring (2002).

From the Latin salvus, meaning "salvation" (as in 'of the soul').

From an Aramaic name that was related to the Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". According to the historian Josephus this was the name of the daughter of Herodias (the consort of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee). In the New Testament, though a specific name is not given, it was a daughter of Herodias who danced for Herod and was rewarded with the head of John the Baptist, and thus Salome and the dancer have traditionally been equated.

As a Christian given name, Salome has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation. This was due to a second person of this name in the New Testament: one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion and later discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty. It is used in Georgia due to the 4th-century Salome of Ujarma, who is considered a saint in the Georgian Church.

Feminine form of Rune.

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.

A main character in the videogame Final Fantasy VIII. The name is believed to either be a variation of the Irish ríoghan meaning "queen," or the Japanese translation of Lenore.

Derived from the Welsh elements rhos "rose" (cf. Rhosyn) and gwen "white, pure, holy, fair".

From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".

Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "fifth" in Latin. Originally, during the time of the early Roman Republic, it was spelled Quinctus. This name was traditionally given to the fifth child, or possibly a child born in the fifth month. It was a common praenomen, being more popular than the other numeric Roman names. A notable bearer was the poet Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus).

Derived from Greek Πυθιος (Pythios), which is an epithet of the god Apollo. This epithet originated from his cult in the city of Πυθώ (Pytho), which is nowadays known as Delphi. The city's name is ultimately derived from the Greek verb πυθώ (putho) or (pytho) meaning "to rot, to decay". Also see Python.

A known bearer of this name was the ancient Greek biologist and embryologist Pythias the Elder, who was the first wife of the philosopher and scientist Aristotle.

In Greek mythology, the legend of Damon and Pythias (or Phintias) symbolizes trust and loyalty in a true friendship.

Means "to emerge" in Latin. She was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Persephone.

Diminutive of either Poma or Pomona, which are both given names that are ultimately derived from Latin pomus or pomum, both of which are nouns that can mean "fruit" as well as "fruit tree".

In some cases, the name Pomellina can also be a direct derivation of the word pomella, which means "apple" in some Italian dialects. In other Italian dialects, the same word means "grapefruit", as a variation on pomello, which is the usual word for the fruit. And finally, in the Venetian language (which is often mistakenly believed to be an Italian dialect), the word pomella means "red berry (of thorny bushes)".

As you can see, all etymological explanations for the name ultimately refer to some type of fruit. As such, we can conclude that the aforementioned Latin pomus and/or pomum are ultimately at the very root of each of the explanations, because Italian (as do its dialects) and Venetian are ultimately descended from the Latin language.

The name Pomellina was mainly used in the Republic of Genoa during the Late Middle Ages. A known bearer of this name was Pomellina Fregoso (c. 1387-1468), a Genovese noblewoman who was the wife of Jean I of Monaco (c. 1382-1454), who himself was ultimately of Genovese descent as well. Her name was gallicized to Pomelline in Monaco, as it was (and still is) predominantly a French-speaking country.

Variant form of Pomelline. This name is best known for being one of the middle names of Charlotte Casiraghi (b. 1986), who is the daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover (formerly of Monaco). She was given this middle name in honour of her ancestor Pomellina Fregoso (c. 1387-1468), a Genovese noblewoman who was the wife of Jean I of Monaco (c. 1382-1454). Her name had been gallicized to Pomelline in Monaco, as it was (and still is) predominantly a French-speaking country.

From the Greek Φρίξος (Phrixos) meaning "thrilling, causing shivers", derived from φρίξ (phrix) meaning "ripple, shiver". In Greek myth Phrixus was the son of Athamus and Nephele. He was to be sacrificed to Zeus, but he escaped with his sister Helle on the back of the ram with the Golden Fleece.

Greek form of Phrixus.

Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).

French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.

Diminutive form of Pierre, Perre and Pier.

Taken from the name of the gemstone, whose name is of uncertain origin and meaning. A current theory, however, derives it from Anglo-Norman pedoretés, ultimately from Greek paiderôs (via Latin paederos): pais "child" and erôs "love".

As a given name, it has found occasional usage in the English-speaking world from the late 19th century onwards.

Originally meant "person from Penrose", Cornwall, Herefordshire and Wales ("highest part of the heath or moorland"). It is borne by the British mathematician Sir Roger Penrose (1931-).

Derived from a place name meaning "highest part of the heath or moorland" from the Celtic elements pen "head, top, end" and ros "heath, moor". Places in Cornwall, Herefordshire and Wales bear this name.

Cornish and Welsh: habitational name from any of the places called Penrose, in ten parishes of Cornwall, several in Wales, and in Herefordshire near the Welsh border. All are named with Celtic pen ‘head’, ‘top’, ‘end’ + ros ‘heath’, ‘moor’.

Means "pink" in Turkish.

Possibly from Welsh Beli Mawr meaning "Beli the Great". In Arthurian romance this was the name of a king of Listenois, a son of Pellehan who pursued the elusive Questing Beast and later joined Arthur's court. He first appears in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

Means "like a fairy" in Persian, derived from پری (parī) meaning "fairy, sprite, supernatural being".

From the Greek Πάνθεια (Pantheia) meaning "all goddess", derived from πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" combined with θεά (thea) meaning "goddess" (compare Pasithea and the Greek adjective πάνθειος (pantheios) meaning "of all gods" or "common to all gods"). According to the 4th-century BC Greek historian Xenophon, Pantheia was the wife of the possibly legendary king Abradatas of Susa, in Iran. After her husband died heroically in battle, she committed suicide by his grave.

In ancient Rome, Diva Drusilla Panthea was the name under which the emperor Caligula deified his favourite sister, Julia Drusilla (16-38), after her death at age 21. This name was also borne by a mistress of Roman co-emperor Lucius Verus (130-169).

In theatre, it was used by Beaumont and Fletcher for a princess in their play A King and No King (1619) and by Percy Bysshe Shelley for an Oceanid in his play Prometheus Unbound (1820). Oscar Wilde also wrote a poem entitled Panthea (1881). Panthea Vyne was the titular lady in the television film The Lady and the Highwayman (1989), based on Barbara Cartland's historical novel Cupid Rides Pillion (1952).

Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.

Derived from Greek οὐράνιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.

Derived from Old English os "god" and ric "power, rule". This name was borne by several Anglo-Saxon kings, one of the earliest being Osric of Deira (7th century AD).

In literature, Osric is the name of a courtier in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

From a Norman nickname derived from a diminutive of Norman French ors "bear", ultimately from Latin ursus. American actor and director Orson Welles (1915-1985) was a famous bearer of this name.

Anglicized form of Órlaith.

Means "golden-beautiful" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin aurea "gold" and bella "beautiful".

Possibly means "servant" in Hebrew (or a related Semitic language), from the root עָמַר (ʿamar) meaning "to bind" [2]. This was the name of a 9th-century BC military commander who became king of Israel. He appears in the Old Testament, where he is denounced as being wicked.

Diminutive or elaborated form of Olive, or directly from the English and French word olivine that denotes a type of gemstone, whose name ultimately goes back to Latin oliva "olive" (so named in the late 18th century for its olive green color).

Feminine form of Oliver. This was the name of the title character in the French opera Les noces d'Olivette (1879) by Edmond Audran.

Means "little deer", derived from Old Irish oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.

Latinized form of the Greek Οἰνώνη (Oinone), derived from οἶνος (oinos) meaning "wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.

Means "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.

Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور or Bengali নূর (see Nur), as well as a Malay and Indonesian variant.

Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.

Possibly from Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine". Alternatively, it could be a feminine form of Nereus. This name arose in Basque-speaking regions of Spain in the first half of the 20th century, though it is now popular throughout the country.

From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.

Latinized form of Neandros. However, in modern times, this name is best known as a surname - the most prominent bearer of which is the German theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander (1650-1680). His paternal grandfather had translated the family's surname of Neumann (which literally means "new man") to Greek and then romanized it.

Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".

Means "wild rose" in Persian.

Possibly a variant of Nora 1. It might, however, also be a simplified spelling of Naarah.

From Aymara nayra meaning "eye" or "early".

From the Basque name of the Spanish city of Nájera, which is Arabic in origin. In the 12th century there was a reported apparition of the Virgin Mary in a nearby cave.

From Old Cornish moroin meaning "maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word morwyn [1]). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Derived from Greek μορφή (morphe) meaning "shape", referring to the shapes seen in dreams. In Greek mythology Morpheus was the god of dreams.

Feminine form of Morgan 1.

Means "servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor Haman.

Means "viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.

Derived from the Slavic elements mirŭ "peace, world" and slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century king of Croatia who was deposed by one of his nobles after ruling for four years.

Short form of Miroslav and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").

From the Occitan name Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". It is spelled Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).

Catalan form of Mirèio (see Mireille).

Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

Occupational surname meaning "miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.

Variant of Melusine. This was the name of Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg (1693-1778), an illegitimate daughter of George I of Great Britain.

French form of Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).

French form of Melina.

Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶךְ (meleḵ) meaning "king" and אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.

Means "black flower", derived from Greek μελας (melas) meaning "black" combined with Greek ανθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". Also compare Melanthios.

Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).

Created by Lord Byron for a character in his poem The Corsair (1814). It is not known what inspired Byron to use this name. The year the poem was published, it was used as the middle name of Elizabeth Medora Leigh (1814-1849), a niece and rumoured daughter of Byron.

From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).

Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).

From Μαριάμη (Mariame), the form of Maria used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.

Danish diminutive of Marina or Maria.

Polish form of Martin.

Roman family name that was originally a diminutive of Marcus. This was the name of two popes.

French feminine form of Marcellinus.

From the Hebrew name מַלְאָכִי (Malʾaḵi) meaning "my messenger" or "my angel", derived from a possessive form of מַלְאָךְ (malʾaḵ) meaning "messenger, angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

Variant of Maylis.

Feminine form of Maël, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mailys.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.

Greek form of Lycus.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

Means "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.

Feminine form of Lucien.

Derived from Ancient Greek λέγειν (legen) meaning "to speak, to say", influenced by λοξός (loxos) "crooked, slanted", figuratively "obscure, indirect, ambiguous (language)". This was one of the epithets of the god Apollo in his role as the god of prophecy and interpreter of Zeus.

Means "little fierce one", derived from Old Irish lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.

Strictly feminine form of Lior.

Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".

From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

Anglicized variant of Liora.
In some cases, however, it might have been given as a contracted form of Leonora.

French feminine form of Leonius.

Feminine form of Leo.

Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.

Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.

Greek form of Old Persian Kuruš (see Cyrus).

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 協 or 京 or 郷 or 杏 (see Kyō).

Possibly an elaboration of Kiri or Kira 2. It seems to have been brought to attention in Australia in the 1970s by the actress Kirrily Nolan.

From Hebrew כְּלִיל (kelil) meaning "crown, wreath, garland" or "complete, perfect".

Feminine form of Kassianos. This was the name of a 9th-century Byzantine saint famous as a hymnographer, who supposedly fell in love with the emperor Theophilos but was rejected when she proved to be more intelligent than he.

From Japanese 香 (kaori) meaning "fragrance". It can also come from an alternate reading of 香 (ka) combined with 織 (ori) meaning "weaving". Other kanji combinations are possible. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Derived from Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty". This was the name of an Athenian who fought at Marathon who later became an ambassador to the Persians.

Sanskrit name meaning "sun".

In Hindu mythology, Kalindi was the wife of Sri Krishna and a daughter of Surya, the sun god.

Means "the black one", derived from Sanskrit काल (kāla) meaning "black". The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. According to stories in the Puranas, she springs from the forehead of Durga in order to defeat various demons. She is typically depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.

Hawaiian form of Charles.

From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and lani "sky, heaven".

Diminutive of Katarina or Katariina.

Means "sea" in Hawaiian.

Means "Yahweh is perfect" in Hebrew, derived from יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and תָּם (tam) meaning "perfect, complete". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Gideon and a king of Judah.

Dutch and Frisian form of George.

Means "pretty" in French. This name was popularized by American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-), whose surname was originally her middle name. It is not used as a given name in France.

From the Hebrew name יוֹאָשׁ (Yoʾash), possibly meaning "fire of Yahweh". In the Old Testament this name is borne by several characters including the father of Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King Ahab of Israel.

From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).

An epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis which derives from Issorion, the name of a mountain near Sparta on which there was a sanctuary dedicated to her. The place name is of unknown meaning.

Means "nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad.

French form of Isaura.

Late Latin name meaning "from Isauria". Isauria was the name of a region in Asia Minor.

Variant of Isoline influenced by Isabelle.

Modern Greek form of Hero 1.

Short form of Irina.

From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

From the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from ey meaning "island".

Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.

Probably a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882).

Means "to soar" in Hawaiian.

Probably a variant of Iole.

Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).

Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.

Inanna was later conflated with the Semitic (Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian) deity Ishtar.

Means "visitation" in Basque. It is an equivalent of the Spanish name Visitación, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.

Means "ardent lord" from Old Welsh iudd "lord" combined with ris "ardent, enthusiastic". This name was borne by Idris the Giant, a 7th-century king of Meirionnydd.

From the Greek Ἴκαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.

Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

Variant of Ianthe.

Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

French form of Helen.

Means "peering; place from which to peer, place to peer at, lookout" in Hawaiian.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "at the rocks" or "at the nook" in Old English.

From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.

A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain. His family came from the town of Atri in central Italy.

From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar meaning "white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh gwen) and *sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being" [1]. In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.

The Cornish form of this name, Jennifer, has become popular in the English-speaking world.

German, Scottish, Slovak and Slovene form of Gregorius (see Gregory). A famous bearer was Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), a Czech monk and scientist who did experiments in genetics.

From the Roman name Gratianus, which was derived from Latin gratus meaning "grateful". Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.

From the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning "feller, hewer", derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning "to cut, to hew" [1]. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world, Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.

Means "lord of hordes" from Sanskrit गण (gaṇa) meaning "horde, multitude" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.

Modern form of Ganesha.

From Hebrew גָּלִיל (Galil) meaning "district, roll". This is a region in northern Israel, mentioned in the Old and New Testament.

Modern form of the Greek name Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.

French feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).

Means "cosmos, the universe" in Turkish. In Turkic mythology the Evren is a gigantic snake-like dragon.

From the English word, evening, the last part of the day.

Modern Greek feminine form of Εὐανθία (Euanthia), a variant of Euanthe. This was the name of a 1st-century martyr from Skepsis who is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church.

Latinized form of Euanthe.

Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.

Derived from Greek εὐμέλεια (eumeleia) meaning "melody".

From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".

Derived from Greek εὐανθής (euanthes) meaning "blooming, flowery", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". According to some sources, this was the name of the mother of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.

Derived from Turkish esmer "dark" and ay "moon".

Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.

Anglicized form of Endelienta, the Latin form of a Welsh or Cornish name. It was borne by a 5th or 6th-century Cornish saint whose birth name is lost. According to some traditions she was a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog (identifying her with Cynheiddon).

Means "king, lord" in Welsh.

Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.

French form of Emmerich.

Meaning unknown. In Irish legend she was the wife of Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.

Contraction of Emily and Elizabeth. Embeth Davidtz (1965-) is a South African actress.

Variant of Alvina.

Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.

French form of Alodia.

Italian form of Electra.

Derived from Cornish elester meaning "iris flower". This is a recently coined Cornish name.

From the name of a Welsh river, also called the Leri, of unknown meaning. This was also the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint (masculine).

Greek form of Electra.

Latinized form of Greek Ἠλέκτρα (Elektra), derived from ἤλεκτρον (elektron) meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and the sister of Orestes. She helped her brother kill their mother and her lover Aegisthus in vengeance for Agamemnon's murder. Also in Greek mythology, this name was borne by one of the Pleiades, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.

Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.

Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.

Finnish and Estonian form of Eric. A famous bearer was the architect Eero Saarinen (1910-1961).

Latinized form of Étaín. This was the name of an early Irish saint.

From the Greek word ἠχώ (echo) meaning "echo, reflected sound", related to ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.

Italian form of the Late Latin name Durans, which meant "enduring".

Transferred use of the surname Drury. Drury Lane is a famous street in London, home to the Theatre Royal, and well known as the nursery rhyme locale of The Muffin Man.

Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.

From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").

From an English surname, of Norman French origin, meaning "from Evreux". Evreux is a town in France.

English form of Destrier, a French surname derived from the Anglo-Norman word destrer meaning "warhorse". This name was popularized by the western novel 'Destry Rides Again' (1930, by Max Brand) and two subsequent identically-named film adaptations (1932 and 1939).

Possibly from Greek δαρδάπτω (dardapto) meaning "to devour". In Greek mythology Dardanos was a son of Zeus and Electra. He was the founder of the city of Dardania in Asia Minor.

Derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.

Derived from Hungarian csillag meaning "star". This name was created by the Hungarian author András Dugonics for an 1803 novel and later used and popularized by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty.

Latinized form of Kreios.

Meaning uncertain, from the name of a character in medieval legend, possibly first recorded by Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. Perhaps it was derived from an older form of Spanish corazón "heart" (e.g., Old Spanish coraçon; ultimately from Latin cor "heart", with the hypothetic Vulgar Latin root *coratione, *coraceone) or the Greek name Chrysanthe. As a nickname it was used by a mistress of King Henry IV of France: Diane d'Andoins (1554-1620), la Belle Corisande. Some usage may be generated by Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera Amadis (1684; based on Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo), in which it belongs to the lover of the prince Florestan. The name was also used by Benjamin Disraeli for a character in his play Lothair (1870).

French form of Quirinus.

From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).

Latinized form of Klytië.

Possibly an elaboration of Cleo or Clara.

Feminine form of Cléophas, possibly via Latin Cleophae (see Cleofe).
Since the 1990s, this name is being slowly rediscovered.

Latinized form of Κλεώνη (Kleone), derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of a naiad in Greek myth.

Originally a Latinization of Kleone, this name is sometimes understood as a feminine form of Cleon in the English-speaking world.

In Greek mythology, Cleona (or Kleone) was the Naiad Nymph of the spring, well or fountain of the town of Kleonai (Cleonae) in Argos-Sikyonia, southern Greece. She was a daughter of the river-god Asopos.

Derived from the name of the flowering plants cleome, commonly known as "spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, bee plants".

Latinized form of Kleodora. In Greek mythology, Cleodora was a nymph of Mount Parnassos in Phokis. She was one of the prophetic Thriai, nymphs who divined the future by throwing stones or pebbles. She was loved by the sea god Poseidon and had a son called Parnassos by him. This name was also borne by one of the Danaids (i.e., the 50 daughters of Danaus).

French form of Cloelia.

Latinate form of Cleo apparently coined by British novelist Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet. A known bearer is American actress Clea DuVall (1977-).

Roman cognomen derived from Latin cicer meaning "chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.

Medieval variant of Cecily.

Means "golden flower" from Greek χρύσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden" combined with ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century Egyptian saint.

Feminine form of Chrysanthos.

Variant of Chrysanta.

Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.

Meaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh caru meaning "to love".

Taken from the name of the flower, whose name is derived from Greek κηλος (kelos) "burned".

Derived from Welsh cain "good, lovely" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as Cain or Keyne.

Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.

From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.

From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.

Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.

Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.

From the genus name of common heather, a flowering shrub. It comes from the Greek verb καλλύνω (kalluno) meaning "to beautify, sweep clean", ultimately from καλός (kalos) "beautiful".

Latinized form of Kallisto. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.

Latinized form of Kalliope.

Latinized form of Kallias.

Alternate transcription of Κάλλια or Καλλία (see Kallia).

Spanish and Portuguese form of Calixtus.

Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.

Means "beautiful and holy". From the Greek kalos (καλή) 'beautiful' and adnos (αδνος) 'holy'. In Greek mythology she is a naiad of the river Nile in Egypt, a daughter of the god of the Nile, Neilus. She was one of the wives of Aegyptus, and bore him twelve sons.

Elaborated form of Calanthe.

From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower".

Roman variant of Gaius.

From Old Irish cáel meaning "slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.

From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Derived from the Old German element brunna meaning "armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *brunjǭ) or brun meaning "brown" (Proto-Germanic *brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.

Variant of Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).

Seemingly derived from Welsh bron "breast" and gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name Branwen [1]. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.

Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by Achilles. After Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.

Variant of Bryony.

The name of an English city, meaning "bright town" in Old English.

From the English word for the thorny plant.

Derived from Welsh briallu meaning "primrose". This is a modern Welsh name.

Means "jewel" in French. It is mostly used in French-speaking Africa.

From the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.

Combination of Old French bele "beautiful" and the name Phoebe. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

From an English surname derived from Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".

Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beṯ-leḥem) meaning "house of bread".

Means "son of Bate".

Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Scottish Gaelic bàn "white" and cù "dog, hound". This is the name of a character in William Shakespeare's semi-historical tragedy Macbeth (1606). He earlier appears in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), one of Shakespeare's sources for the play.

Variant of Beyle.

Elaborated form of Turkish or Azerbaijani ay meaning "moon".

Means "moonlight, halo" in Turkish.

Medieval Danish form of Absalom.

French form of Aurora.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.

Italian and Spanish form of Aurelius.

Romanian form of Aurelianus, as well as the usual English form when referring to the Roman emperor.

From the word aura (derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek αὔρα meaning "breeze") for a distinctive atmosphere or illumination.

From a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich. It is the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux.

Short form of Athanasios.

Possibly means "Yahweh is exalted" in Hebrew, from עֲתַל (ʿaṯal) possibly meaning "exalted" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is both a feminine and masculine name. It was borne by the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who later came to rule Judah as a queen.

Ash farm; ash settlement

habitational name from any of the numerous places in northern and eastern England called Ashby, from Old Norse askr ‘ash’ or the Old Norse personal name Aski + býr ‘farm’.

Means "noble maiden" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Arwen was the daughter of Elrond and the lover of Aragorn.

From the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde.

From the Greek name Ἀριστοτέλης (Aristoteles) meaning "the best purpose", derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and τέλος (telos) meaning "purpose, result, completion". This was the name of a Greek philosopher of the 4th century BC who made lasting contributions to Western thought, including the fields of logic, metaphysics, ethics and biology.

Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.

From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.

Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, blessed".

From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.

Lithuanian form of Andrew.

Basque form of Antonius (see Anthony).

This was the name of the first king of the Bebryces tribe in eastern Bithynia (northwestern Anatolia) in Greek legend, the son of Poseidon and the nymph Melia. When the Argonauts passed through his territory, Polydeuces managed to defeat Amycus boxing.

It is probably associated with Latin amicus "friend".

Meaning unknown, perhaps a derivative of Amis. Alternatively, it may come from a surname that originally indicated that the bearer was from the city of Amiens in France. Edmund Spenser used this name for a minor character in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

Feminine form of Amir 1.

Variant of Amyas.

From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.

Means "grace" in Igbo.

From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.

From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

Means "fire, flame" in Nyari, spoken in Victoria state and New South Wales state, south-eastern Australia.

Alinta was the name of one of the main characters in the 1981 SBS television mini-series 'Women of the Sun' which portrayed the lives of four Indigenous women in Australian society from 1820 to 1980.

Derived from Greek ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.

Latinized form of Alkandros. This name was borne by different figures in Greek mythology.

From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.

From Ailsa Craig, the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland, which is of uncertain derivation.

Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.

Means "not inclined to run away" in Greek, from the negative prefix ἀ (a) and διδράσκω (didrasko) meaning "to run away". This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.

Means "noble" in Hebrew.

Double diminutive of Asce.

Latinized form of Greek Ἄκανθα (Akantha), which meant "thorn, prickle". In Greek legend she was a nymph loved by Apollo.

German variant of Abelina.

Spanish elaboration of Abelia, Niçard diminutive Abelìa as well as a German feminine form of Abel and a German elaboration of Abela.