karenna's Personal Name List

Walter
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: WAWL-tər(American English) WAWL-tə(British English) VAL-tu(German) VAL-tehr(Swedish, Italian)
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.

A famous bearer of the name was the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618). It was also borne by Walter Scott (1771-1832), a Scottish novelist who wrote Ivanhoe and other notable works.

Walker
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WAWK-ər(American English) WAWK-ə(British English)
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".
Walden
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Literature
Pronounced: WOHL-den
Place name from Old English: “wooded valley”.

Most famous as the name of Walden Pond in Massachusetts where philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote his book “Walden”.

Used as a male name by J.K. Rowling in the "Harry Potter" books.

Truman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TROO-mən
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Theo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch
Pronounced: THEE-o(English) TEH-o(German, Dutch)
Short form of Theodore, Theobald and other names that begin with Theo.
Taliesin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: tal-YEH-sin(Welsh) tal-ee-EHS-in(English)
Means "shining brow", derived from Welsh tal "brow, head" and iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. He is the central character in the Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king Maelgwn Gwynedd.
Sawyer
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SOI-ər(American English) SOI-ə(British English)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).

Very rare as an American given name before 1980, it increased in popularity in the 1980s and 90s. It got a boost in 2004 after the debut of the television series Lost, which featured a character by this name.

Ryu
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 龍, 竜(Japanese Kanji)
Pronounced: ṘYOO:
Variant transcription of Ryuu.
Runo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Finnish
Pronounced: ROO-no
From Finnish word runo, which means "poem".
Rúni
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Old Norse [1], Faroese
Pronounced: RO-ni(Faroese)
Old Norse and Faroese form of Rune.
Rune
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Pronounced: ROO-nə(Norwegian) ROO-neh(Danish, Swedish)
Personal remark: *
Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".
Rónán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: RO-nan(Irish)
Personal remark: means little seal **
Means "little seal", derived from Old Irish rón "seal" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints, including a pilgrim to Brittany who founded the hermitage at Locronan in the 6th century.
Reed
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: REED
From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.
Ramsey
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAM-zee
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from a place name meaning "garlic island" in Old English.
Raleigh
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAW-lee, RAH-lee
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).
Oisín
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: aw-SHEEN(Irish) o-SHEEN(English)
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.
Noe
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical Greek [1], Biblical Latin, Georgian
Other Scripts: Νῶε(Ancient Greek) ნოე(Georgian)
Pronounced: NO-eh(Latin) NAW-EH(Georgian)
Form of Noah 1 used in the Greek and Latin Bibles. This is also the Georgian form.
Niilo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Finnish
Pronounced: NEE-lo
Finnish form of Nicholas.
Newton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: NOO-tən, NYOO-tən
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Neo 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Tswana
Personal remark: new or gift, matrix *
Means "gift" in Tswana, a derivative of naya "to give".
Moss
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Archaic), Jewish
Pronounced: MAWS(English)
Medieval form of Moses.
Miles
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIELZ
From the Germanic name Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin miles meaning "soldier".

A notable bearer was the American musician Miles Davis (1926-1991). In Scotland this name was historically used to Anglicize Maoilios.

McKinley
Usage: Scottish
Anglicized form of MacFhionnlaigh. This name was borne by the American president William McKinley (1843-1901), who was assassinated.
McGee
Usage: Irish, Scottish
Personal remark: Masculine
Anglicized form of Mac Aodha.
McCoy
Usage: Scottish
Anglicized form of MacAoidh.
Matteo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: mat-TEH-o
Italian form of Matthew.
MacLeod
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: mə-KLOWD(English)
Variant of McLeod.
Luca 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Romanian
Pronounced: LOO-ka
Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Lonán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: LUW-nan(Irish)
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
Lincoln
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LING-kən
From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Liam
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, French (Modern), Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
Pronounced: LYEEYM(Irish) LEE-əm(English) LYAM(French) LEE-ahm(Dutch)
Rating: 80% based on 1 vote
Irish short form of William. It became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas after that. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States beginning in 2017. Famous bearers include British actor Liam Neeson (1952-), British musician Liam Gallagher (1972-), and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth (1990-).
Leo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Other Scripts: Լեո(Armenian)
Pronounced: LEH-o(German, Dutch, Danish, Finnish) LEE-o(English)
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.

In some cases this name can be a short form of longer names that start with Leo, such as Leonard.

Leif
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: LAYF
From the Old Norse name Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.
Kenai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern, Rare)
Personal remark: *
Means "flat land" in the Dena'ina language. From the Dena'ina ken 'big flat' and ken'ey 'two big flats with a river cutback'.

This not a traditional given name for the Dena'ina people, it's a modern given name on non-native peoples.

Keanu
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: keh-A-noo
Means "the cool breeze" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Jonas 2
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, French, Biblical
Other Scripts: Ἰωνᾶς(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: YOO-nas(Swedish) YO-nas(German) YO-nahs(Dutch) JO-nəs(English)
From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.
Jonah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Other Scripts: יוֹנָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JO-nə(English)
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.

Jonah's story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the Hellenized form Jonas was occasionally used in England. The form Jonah did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation.

Jett
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: JEHT
From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).
Indy 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Popular Culture
Pronounced: IN-dee(English)
Diminutive of Indiana. This is the nickname of the hero of the Indiana Jones movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Indiana
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: in-dee-AN-ə
From the name of the American state, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Heath
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HEETH
From an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series The Big Valley [1].
Griffin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: GRIF-in
Latinized form of Gruffudd. This name can also be inspired by the English word griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).
Geronimo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: History
Pronounced: jə-RAHN-ə-mo(American English) jə-RAWN-ə-mo(British English)
From Gerónimo, a Spanish form of Hieronymos (see Jerome). This is the better-known name of the Apache leader Goyathlay (1829-1909). It was given to him by the Mexicans, his enemies.
Geo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Short form or abbreviation for George used as an independent name.
Gavin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: GAV-in(English)
Medieval form of Gawain. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.
Foster 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAWS-tər(American English) FAWS-tə(British English)
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.
Ender
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Turkish
Personal remark: vary rare, Sci Fi Character
Means "very rare" in Turkish.
Diego
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Italian
Pronounced: DYEH-gho(Spanish) DYEH-go(Italian)
Spanish name, possibly a shortened form of Santiago. In medieval records Diego was Latinized as Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek διδαχή (didache) meaning "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain.

Other famous bearers of this name include Spanish painter Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (1886-1957) and Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona (1960-2020).

Delano
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DEHL-ə-no
From a surname, recorded as de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Darrow
Gender: Masculine
Usage: American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Darrow.
Caspian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Literature
Pronounced: KAS-pee-ən(English)
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Calvin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAL-vin
Derived from the French surname Cauvin, which was derived from chauve meaning "bald". The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as Calvinus (based on Latin calvus "bald") and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.

In modern times, this name is borne by American fashion designer Calvin Klein (1942-), as well as one of the main characters from Bill Watterson's comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (published from 1985 to 1995).

Bridger
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: BRIJ-ər(American English) BRIJ-ə(British English)
From an English surname that originally indicated a person who lived near or worked on a bridge.
Bowie
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Pronounced: BO-ee(English) BOO-ee(English)
Personal remark: fair haired
From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.
Bowen
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: BO-ən
From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".
Banner
Usage: English
Pronounced: BAN-ər(American English) BAN-ə(British English)
Occupational name for a flag carrier, derived from Old French baniere meaning "banner", ultimately of Germanic origin.
August
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English
Pronounced: OW-guwst(German) OW-goost(Polish, Norwegian) OW-guyst(Swedish) AW-gəst(English)
German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.

As an English name it can also derive from the month of August, which was named for the Roman emperor Augustus.

Asa
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew [1]
Other Scripts: אָסָא(Hebrew)
Pronounced: AY-sə(English)
Possibly means "healer" in Hebrew. This name was borne by the third king of Judah, as told in the Old Testament.
Apollo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀπόλλων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ə-PAHL-o(American English) ə-PAWL-o(British English)
Personal remark: strength, father lion meaning. like the sound
From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
Ansel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-səl
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).
Anakin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Popular Culture
Pronounced: AN-ə-kin(English)
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a character (also known as Darth Vader) in the Star Wars movie saga, created by George Lucas. Lucas may have based it on the surname of his friend and fellow director Ken Annakin.
Amadeo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Pronounced: a-ma-DHEH-o(Spanish) a-ma-DEH-o(Italian)
Personal remark: nickname Deo
Spanish form of Amadeus, as well as an Italian variant. This was the name of a 19th-century king of Spain (born in Italy).
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