Rainya's Personal Name List

Meaning uncertain, possibly of Arabic origin. According to medieval tradition, notably related by the 15th-century Persian poet Jami, this was the name of the biblical Potiphar's wife. She has been a frequent subject of poems and tales.

Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.

Borne by the American actress Zendaya Coleman (1996-), known simply as Zendaya. Her name was apparently inspired by the Shona name Tendai.

Apparently a Greek derivative of Ζηναΐς (Zenais), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus. This was the name of a 1st-century saint who was a doctor with her sister Philonella.

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

Feminine form of Zayd.

Named after the fictional character Xuela Claudette Richardson in the novel, "The Autobiography of My Mother", by Jamaica Kincaid.

The name is an invention of the author, who wanted a unique name for a very unique character.

From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.

Feminine form of Ximeno. This was the name of the wife of El Cid.

Probably a blend of Xiomara with Zamora or Amora.

Probably a variant of Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

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 season, derived from Old English winter.

Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.

From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.

Variant of Viveca. A famous bearer is actress Vivica Fox.

From the Latin name Vivianus, which was derived from Latin vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of Bébinn or a variant of Vivien 2.

From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

Portuguese, Venetian and Spanish form of Viridiana as well as an Italian variant of this name. Blessed Veridiana was a Benedictine virgin and recluse. Originally from a noble family of Castelfiorentino, Tuscany, Italy, she went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and, after returning, had herself walled up in a hermitage near the Elba River.

Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.

From the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin valentia meaning "strength, vigour".

Variant of Ursula.

The meaning of Umaiza is : Bright, Beautiful and soft hearted.

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.

Diminutive of Beatrix.

From the Greek name Θάλεια (Thaleia), derived from θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, presiding over comedy and pastoral poetry. This was also the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).

Contracted form of Theresa.

Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.

Means "star" in Sanskrit. Tara is the name of a Hindu astral goddess, the wife of Brhaspati. She was abducted by Chandra, the god of the moon, leading to a great war that was only ended when Brahma intervened and released her. This name also appears in the epic the Ramayana belonging to the wife of Vali and, after his death, his younger brother Sugriva. In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with salvation and protection.

Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.

From Thai สุ (su) meaning "good" and นิสา (nisa) meaning "night".

From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.

From Japanese 菫 (sumire) meaning "violet (flower)". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Feminine form of Stephen.

From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.

Persian form of Thurayya. It became popular in some parts of Europe because of the fame of Princess Soraya (1932-2001), wife of the last Shah of Iran, who became a European socialite.

Feminine form of Sophronius. Torquato Tasso used it in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580), in which it is borne by the lover of Olindo.

Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.

This name was common among continental European royalty during the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in Britain by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. It was the name of characters in the novels Tom Jones (1749) by Henry Fielding and The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith.

In the United States this name was only moderately common until the 1990s when it began rising in popularity, eventually becoming the most popular for girls from 2011 to 2013. A famous bearer is the Italian actress Sophia Loren (1934-).

Variant of Sonya.

Variant of Sonal.

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

Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.

From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.

Greek form of Zipporah.

From a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms. It was probably meant to indicate a musical pause.

Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).

From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.

Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.

From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).

Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.

Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.

From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom", though it is often written using the hiragana writing system. It can also come from 咲 (saku) meaning "blossom" and 良 (ra) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" as well as other kanji combinations.

Latinized form of Habren, the original Welsh name of the River Severn. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sabrina was the name of a princess who was drowned in the Severn. Supposedly the river was named for her, but it is more likely that her name was actually derived from that of the river, which is of unknown meaning. She appears as a water nymph in John Milton's masque Comus (1634).

The name was brought to public attention by Samuel A. Taylor's play Sabrina Fair (1953) and the movie adaptation Sabrina that followed it the next year. This is also the name of a comic book character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, first introduced 1962 and with television adaptations in 1970-1974 and 1996-2003, both causing minor jumps in popularity. Another jump occurred in 1976, when it was used for a main character on the television series Charlie's Angels.

Derived from Latin rūma "udder". This name belonged to a goddess who protected breastfeeding mothers and possibly nursing infants. Her domain extended to protecting animal mothers, not just human ones. Rumina promoted suckling. This goddess received libations of milk, an uncommon liquid offering among the Romans.

Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century [1].

Diminutive of Roxana.

Diminutive of Rose. This is the name of a type of flowering shrub (species Hibiscus sabdariffa) native to Africa but now grown in many places, used to make hibiscus tea.

From Japanese 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Probably a variant of Rhiannon.

Meaning unknown, perhaps related to ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

Feminine form of Ramón. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Helen Hunt Jackson's novel Ramona (1884), as well as several subsequent movies based on the book.

From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.

Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Райна (see Rayna 1).

From the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel) meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament this is the name of the favourite wife of Jacob. Her father Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her older sister Leah first, though in exchange for seven years of work Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel too. Initially barren and facing her husband's anger, she offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to bear him children. Eventually she was herself able to conceive, becoming the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

The name was common among Jews in the Middle Ages, but it was not generally used as a Christian name in the English-speaking world until after the Protestant Reformation. It was moderately popular in the first half of the 20th century, but starting in the 1960s it steadily rose, reaching highs in the 1980s and 90s. The character Rachel Green on the American sitcom Friends (1994-2004) may have only helped delay its downswing.

Notable bearers include American conservationist Rachel Carson (1907-1964), British actress Rachel Weisz (1970-), and Canadian actress Rachel McAdams (1978-).

Variant of Qiana.

From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyaṃkara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".

Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.

Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.

From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.

Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.

Means "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman. Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.

From an English surname meaning "servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".

As a given name for girls, it received some public attention from a character in the 1958 novel Parrish and the 1961 movie adaptation [1]. It experienced a larger surge in popularity in the 1980s, probably due to the character Paige Matheson from the American soap opera Knots Landing.

Possibly derived from Latin aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish oro or French or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight Amadis.

This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time [1] that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly on the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.

Olivia has been used in the English-speaking world since the 18th century, though it did not become overly popular until the last half of the 20th century. Its rise in popularity in the 1970s may have been inspired by a character on the television series The Waltons (1972-1982) [2] or the singer Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022). In 1989 it was borne by a young character on The Cosby Show, which likely accelerated its growth. It reached the top rank in England and Wales by 2008 and in the United States by 2019.

A famous bearer was the British-American actress Olivia de Havilland (1916-2020).

Means "merciful" in Shona.

Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.

Feminine form of Noël.

Means “water hyacinth” (scientific name Eichhornia) in Arabic. It can also refer to the indigo pigment extracted from said plants.

French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).

Possibly from the name of the town of Ngaere in New Zealand, of Maori origin meaning "wetland".

Possibly a variant of Neleh, boosted in popularity by Neleh Dennis's appearance on Survivor in 2002. Neleah was given to 22 girls in 2002.

Russian diminutive of Natalya. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1865). It has been used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.

Latinate form of Natalia (see Natalie).

Means "wishes, desires", from the plural form of Munya.

French form of Monica.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Possibly derived from the Slavic word mir meaning "peace" or Romanian mira meaning "to wonder, to astound".

Variant of Méroflède, the usual French form of Merofleda.

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.

From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.

Variant of Michaela.

A combination of the prefix ‘mer’ and the suffix ‘lia’. This name was used in the movie “Barbie in a Mermaid Tale” where Barbie plays Merliah Summers, a surfing teenager who is half mermaid and half human.

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.

From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".

Welsh diminutive of Margaret. In the English-speaking world outside of Wales it has only been regularly used since the middle of the 20th century.

From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).

Variant of Marisa.

From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.

Means "moon-like" in Latin. Lunaria is a genus of flowering plants.

Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

Means "snow" in Finnish.

Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

Swedish feminine form of Louis.

Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).

Variant of Linnéa.

From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-) [1].

Means "enchantment, wonder, fascination" in Basque.

Variant of Lillian.

Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.

Means "amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit. The 12th-century mathematician Bhaskara gave this name to one of his books on mathematics, possibly after his daughter. This was also the name of a 13th-century queen of Sri Lanka.

Means "play, amusement" in Sanskrit.

Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.

Meaning unknown. This is the given name of actress and singer Liamani Segura.

Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently.

Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.

From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.

From Sanskrit लावण्य (lāvaṇya) meaning "beauty, loveliness, charm".

Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.

Variant of Lacy.

Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Xenia.

From Japanese 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 君 (kimi) meaning "lord, noble" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Variant of Kimberly.

Means "love" in Cornish.

Possibly a Latinization of Kelly.

Possibly invented, or possibly based on Keziah. It began to be used in the 1960s.

Greek form of Cassandra, as well as a modern English variant.

Means "worthy of a caress" in Esperanto.

Means "the beauty" from Hawaiian ka "the" and nani "beauty, glory".

Means "the one," from definite article ka and mea, which refers to a thing, person, matter or object.

Means "beautiful voice" from Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.

Means "viburnum tree" in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Polish.

From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "young", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).

It has been common as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the 18th century. A famous modern bearer is American actress Julia Roberts (1967-).

English, German and Dutch form of Joséphine.

Formed from Jo and the common name suffix lene. This name was created in the early 20th century. It received a boost in popularity after the release of Dolly Parton's 1973 song Jolene.

Variant of Gillian.

From Hebrew אִיזֶבֶל (ʾIzevel), probably from a Phoenician name, possibly containing the Semitic root zbl meaning "to exalt, to dwell". According to one theory it might be an altered form of the Phoenician name 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤀𐤆𐤁𐤋 (Baʿlʾizbel) meaning "Ba'al exalts" with the first element removed or replaced [1].

According to the Old Testament Jezebel was the Phoenician wife of Ahab, a king of Israel. She is portrayed as an evil figure because she encouraged the worship of the god Ba'al. After she was thrown from a window to her death her body was eaten by dogs, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy.

Variant of Yesenia.

Serbian form of Elizabeth.

From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans [1]. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.

Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.

From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.

Spanish form of Yvelise, especially used in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Norwegian adoption of an originally German short form of Old High German names containing the element isarn meaning "iron" (e.g., Isengard, Iselinde, Isburg), as well as an adoption of an obsolete German diminutive of Isa 2 and a Norwegian adoption and adaption of the Irish name Aisling (compare Isleen).

French form of Isabel.

Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

This was the name of a character in the Disney Tinker Bell film series. Perhaps based on the English word iridescent, which is derived from the Latin elements iris meaning "rainbow" (see Iris) and the suffix -escent "resembling".

From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).

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).

Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour" [1]. Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.

This name was borne by the heroine of the Polish writer Juliusz Słowacki's play Fantazy (1841, published 1866).

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.

Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.

From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.

From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).

From Japanese 花園 (hanamaru) meaning "flower garden".

Variant of Hadar.

Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle [1]. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin [2]. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey [3].

This name was not regularly given to people until the 19th century [4][3]. It was used by George Eliot for a character in her novel Daniel Deronda (1876).

Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.

The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.

English form of Geneviève.

Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.

From Japanese 文 (fumi) meaning "writing" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.

Means "foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.

Variant of Fallon.

Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Variant of Fayruz.

A character from the novel The Journey to the Forest of Temptation by George Harpen.

Feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

It has been suggested that the name was created from an elaboration of love as a palindrome, or from the backwards spelling of t(h)e love with the h omitted for the sake of aesthetics, or from evolve as an incomplete anagram. It could also be used as a combination of the names Eve and Violet.

The name of a prehistoric woman in the 2008 film 10,000 B.C. directed by Roland Emmerich, meaning "the promise of life" in the fictitious language spoken by the character's adopted tribe, the Yaghal.

Polish, Slovak, Romanian and Lithuanian form of Esther.

From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).

From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.

From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).

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

Combination of the names Ellen 2 and Mieke. Also compare Elsemieke.

A known bearer of this name is Ellemieke Vermolen (b. 1976), a Dutch model, actress and television presenter.

From Elista, the name of the capital city of the Republic of Kalmykia in southern Russia. The city's name is ultimately derived from Kalmyk элсн (elsn) meaning "sand, sandy".

Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).

From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.

Diminutive of Diana.

From the English word diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin diamas, from Latin adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".

Means "heavenly, divine" in Greek. The name of multiple characters in Greek Mythology.

French feminine form of Denis.

Diminutive of Adela or Adelaide. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Della Reese (1931-2017).

Means "already" from the French phrase déjà vu meaning "already seen". It received a popularity boost in 1995 when a character named Deja appeared in the movie Higher Learning.

From Greek δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.

Feminine form of Daniel.

From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.

From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρύσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.

Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.

Quasi-Latinization of Claire.

Means "star" in Nahuatl [1].

Variant of Sierra. Use of the name has perhaps been influenced by the brand of perfume called Ciara, which was introduced by Revlon in 1973 [1].

French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.

This name was fairly common in France, England and the United States in the early 20th century. It became quite popular in France and England at the end of the 20th century, just when it was at a low point in the United States. It quickly climbed the American charts and entered the top ten in 2014.

Feminine diminutive of Charles.

Means "cherry" in French.

Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.

Variant of Cassidy.

Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).

Variant of Charissa.

From the Italian phrase cara mia meaning "my beloved".

Variant of Calista.

Caliandra is the name of a flower, whose scientific name is Calliandra harrisii, and its denomination derives from the combination of the Greek elements Kallio (beautiful) and Andros (man), probably meaning "beautiful and masculine" or "beautiful and manlike".

From an English word meaning "rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.

In the United States it became more common for girls in the early 1980s, shortly after the debut of the television sitcom The Facts of Life (1979-1988), which featured a character named Blair Warner. The name left the American top 1000 rankings two decades later, but was resurrected by another television character, this time Blair Waldorf from the series Gossip Girl (2007-2012).

Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603). The German singer Freddy Breck's 1973 song Bianca boosted the name's popularity elsewhere in Europe.

From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.

Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.

Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.

Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.

The daughter of Zeus, she was said to have sprung from his head fully grown after he impregnated and swallowed her mother Metis. Athena is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

Means "ear of grain" in Latin. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.

French feminine form of Ariel, as well as an English variant.

Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).

From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.

Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.

From Old Irish Aífe, derived from oíph meaning "beauty" (modern Irish aoibh). This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a woman at war with Scáthach (her sister in some versions). She was defeated in single combat by the hero Cúchulainn, who spared her life on the condition that she bear him a child (Connla). Another legendary figure by this name appears in the Children of Lir as the jealous third wife of Lir.

This name is sometimes Anglicized as Eve or Eva.

Swedish diminutive of Anna.

Combination of Anne 1 and Liese.

Combination of Anna and Beth.

From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".

Derived from Latin angelicus meaning "angelic", ultimately related to Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger". The poets Boiardo and Ariosto used this name in their Orlando poems (1483 and 1532), where she is the love interest of both Orlando and Rinaldo. It has been used as a given name since the 18th century.

Feminine form of Angelus (see Angel). As an English name, it came into use in the 18th century. A notable bearer is the former German chancellor Angela Merkel (1954-).

Derived from Greek ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.

Feminine form of Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.

Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Anne 1 or Agnès. It was used in Jean-Henri Guy's opera Anacréon chez Polycrate (1798), where it is borne by the daughter (otherwise unnamed in history) of the 6th-century BC tyrant Polycrates of Samos. Guy could have adapted it from a classical name such as Anaitis or Athénaïs.

A famous bearer was the Cuban-French writer Anaïs Nin (1903-1977), known for her diaries.

As a Spanish name, Amorosa is derived from Spanish amoroso, amorosa "loving; caring; affectionate".

As a Basque name, its origin and meaning are uncertain, although there certainly is a possibility that it is simply an adoption of the Spanish name. In any case, the name was first recorded in Pamplona in 1285.

From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix ἀ (a) and μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.

German variant of Amelia.

From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر (ʿanbar) meaning "ambergris". It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel Forever Amber (1944).

In part this is a feminine form of Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.

Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.

Italian feminine form of Alexius.

Variant of Aaliyah.

Means "living, alive" in Arabic. This was the name of Muhammad's third wife, the daughter of Abu Bakr. Some time after Muhammad's death she went to war against Ali, the fourth caliph, but was defeated. Her name is used more by Sunni Muslims and less by Shias.

This name began to be used in America in the 1970s, possibly inspired by Princess Aisha of Jordan (1968-), the daughter of King Hussein and his British-born wife. It received a boost in popularity after Stevie Wonder used it for his first daughter in 1975.