nameshopper246's Personal Name List

From the Hebrew name צִפּוֹרָה (Tsippora), derived from צִפּוֹר (tsippor) meaning "bird" [1]. In the Old Testament this is the name of the Midianite wife of Moses. She was the daughter of the priest Jethro.

Anglicized form of Zéphyrine.

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

Derived from the Old English elements wulf "wolf" and wynn "joy".

Elaboration of Wren using the popular name suffix ley.

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

From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.

From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "riverbank with a windlass" in Old English (a windlass is a lifting apparatus). This has been the surname of the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.

Old diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil (see Wendel). Saint Wendelin was a 6th-century hermit of Trier in Germany.

From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".

The surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley (1814) by Walter Scott. Streets in New York and San Francisco have been named Waverly after the novel, and a female character in Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) is named after the San Francisco street. The name received a small boost in popularity for girls after the 1993 release of the novel's movie adaptation, and it rose further after the debut of the television series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012).

From the place name Waveney, in occasional use as a given name since the 19th century.

One bearer of this name was English (female) playwright Waveney Bicker-Caarten (1902-1990) who wrote under the name Waveney Carten.

Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).

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.

Feminine form of Vivianus (see Vivian). Saint Viviana (also known as Bibiana) was a Roman saint and martyr of the 4th century.

French form of Virginia.

Derived from viorea, the Romanian word for the alpine squill flower (species Scilla bifolia) or the sweet violet flower (species Viola odorata). It is derived from Latin viola "violet".

Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.

Latin form of Odysseus. It was borne by Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, who went on to become an American president. Irish author James Joyce used it as the title of his book Ulysses (1922), which loosely parallels Homer's epic the Odyssey.

From the English word referring to the time of day when the sun is just below the horizon. Ultimately from Old English twi- "half" + līht "light".

As a given name, it has been in rare use from the early 20th century onwards.

Means "wild thyme" in Greenlandic [1].

From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

From Middle English trippen meaning "to dance", an occupational name for a dancer.

Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.

The name of the titular character in George Du Maurier's 1894 novel 'Trilby', about an tone-deaf model who is hypnotized to become a talented singer. The name became a (now obsolete) colloquial term for a foot, as the character's feet were objects of admiration. The word is still associated with a style of hat.

From a byname derived from Old Norse tryggr meaning "true, loyal".

From the Old Norse name Þórný, which was derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with nýr "new".

Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.

A "glittering metallic thread" invented in Nuremberg around 1610. It is usually found woven in fabric to give a shimmery aesthetic or hung in strands on trees, usually Christmas trees, during the winter season to simulate icicles. From the Middle French 'estincelle' meaning a "spark" or "flash", itself from the Vulgar Latin stincilla, a variant of scintilla meaning 'spark'.

A noted bearer is Canadian actress Tinsel Korey, born Harsha Patel, best known for her roles in the Twilight saga and the television series Blackstone.

Possibly related to Georgian სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of Avtandil.

Variant of Torny.

From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.

From Sino-Vietnamese 詩 (thi) meaning "poetry, poem, verse".

From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).

The name was mainly confined to Spain and Portugal during the Middle Ages. After the 16th century it was spread to other parts of the Christian world, due to the fame of the Spanish nun and reformer Saint Teresa of Ávila. Another famous bearer was the Austrian Habsburg queen Maria Theresa (1717-1780), who inherited the domains of her father, the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession.

From an English surname that was derived from the medieval name Thierry, a Norman French form of Theodoric.

From the name of the state located in the Southeastern region of the United States, possibly derived from Cherokee ᏔᎾᏏ (tanasi), believed to mean "winding river", which was originally the name of a village in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. Alternatively, it could be derived from Yuchi Tana-tsee-dgee, meaning "place of brother waters" or "where the waters meet".

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.

Feminine form of Symphorianus.

Simply from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek σύμφωνος (symphonos) meaning "concordant in sound".

French and Czech form of Silvia.

Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.

From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.

As an English name, it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Old Testament heroine. It did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation, at which time it was often spelled Susan.

From the English word for the type of bird. It is commonly associated with the name Star.

It is the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor.

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.

Nickname, though not a diminutive. Often a given name for pets.

Originally a transferred use of the surname Sparks. It is now used as an adoption of the English word (which is derived from Old English spearca via Middle English sparke "spark").

Old Norse byname or personal name meaning, ‘sprightly’, ‘vivacious’

Middle English frequentative (verb) or diminutive (noun) of spark.

Originally a transferred use of the surname Spark. It is now used as an adoption of the English word (which is derived from Old English spearca via Middle English sparke "spark").

Transferred use of the surname Soul. May also be used in reference to the word soul, from Old English sāwol, sāw(e)l, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ziel and German Seele.

From the name of the sour tasting plant, derived from Old French sur "sour", a word of Frankish origin.

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.

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 Small.

From a nickname for a small person, from Middle English smal.

From Old Irish slán meaning "health, safety". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, one of the Fir Bolg. It was also the name of a daughter of the 11th-century high king Brian Boru.

From the English word for the type of songbird, i.e., the common European lark (Alauda arvensis; which is "famed for its melodious song"). Use of the name is probably inspired by the similar name Skylar; it could also be viewed as a combination of Sky and Lark.
This name has been in occasional use since the late 20th century.

From Old Irish síd meaning "peace" or "fairy mound, tumulus" and maith meaning "good".

Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.

Irish form of Jeannette.

Feminine form of Silvius. Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great. It has been a common name in Italy since the Middle Ages. It was introduced to England by Shakespeare, who used it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594). It is now more commonly spelled Sylvia in the English-speaking world.

Feminine form of Silvester.

Roman cognomen meaning "of the woods", derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests. This name appears in the New Testament belonging to one of Saint Paul's companions, also called Silas.

Derived from the Old Norse elements sigr "victory" and rún "secret lore, rune". This was the name of a valkyrie in Norse legend.

From Greek Σίβυλλα (Sibylla), meaning "prophetess, sibyl". In Greek and Roman legend the sibyls were female prophets who practiced at different holy sites in the ancient world. In later Christian theology, the sibyls were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered in much the same way as the Old Testament prophets. Because of this, the name came into general use in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans imported it to England, where it was spelled both Sibyl and Sybil. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps helped by Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil (1845).

From a nickname for a short person, from Middle English schort.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.

Anglicized form of Síle.

Elaborated form of Sharon.

Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (āzād) meaning "free, noble" [1]. Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.

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-).

Means "song" in Fijian.

From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.

From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804) [1].

French form of Scholastica. It is more common in French-speaking Africa than France.

Anglicized form of Shahrazad.

From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.

Means "of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the Rigveda dedicated to Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of Brahma, considered an aspect of Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.

Means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish.

From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.

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

From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.

Originally a diminutive of Alexander. As a feminine name it is a diminutive of Alexandra or Sandra. It can also be given in reference to the colour.

From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.

As a Christian name, Samuel came into common use after the Protestant Reformation. It has been consistently popular in the English-speaking world, ranking yearly in the top 100 names in the United States (as recorded since 1880) and performing similarly well in the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), American inventor Samuel Morse (1791-1872), Irish writer Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), and American actor Samuel L. Jackson (1948-). This was also the real name, Samuel Clemens, of the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910).

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.

From the name of a biblical town, שָׁלֵם (Shalem) in Hebrew, meaning "complete, safe, peaceful". According to the Old Testament this was the town where Melchizedek was king. It is usually identified with Jerusalem. Many places are named after the biblical town, most in America, notably a city in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem witch trials occurred in 1692.

Means "righteousness of religion" from Arabic صلاح (ṣalāḥ) meaning "righteousness" combined with دين (dīn) meaning "religion, faith". A famous bearer of this name was the sultan Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, known in the western world as Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt in the 12th century. He recaptured Jerusalem from the crusaders and repelled the invaders of the Third Crusade. Salah ad-Din was an honorific; his birth name was Yusuf.

Anglicized form of Salah ad-Din.

Possibly means "traveller" in Arabic.

From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".

Form of Ruth 1 in several languages.

Variant or feminine form of Russell.

Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".

Feminine form of Rune.

From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf". It was borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Anthony Hope used this name for the hero in his popular novel The Prisoner of Zenda (1894).

From Latvian ruds meaning "red, red-haired".

From an Arabic word referring to a type of stringed musical instrument. This was the name of the wife of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Husayn.

Transferred use of the surname Roux.

Derived from the Old German elements hruod "fame" and swind "strong". This was the name of a 10th-century nun from Saxony who wrote several notable poems and dramas.

Spanish diminutive of Rosa 1.

From Hindi and Marathi रौशनी (raushanī) meaning "light, brightness", ultimately of Persian origin.

Means "light, bright" in Persian.

Variant of Rosemary.

French feminine form of Rosaire and an English variant of Rosary. This name is most prelavent in Ireland and in parts of French-influenced Africa.

Roots is an Estonian surname meaning "leaf stalk" or "stem". May also derive from "rootslane", meaning "Swede".

A nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle English rote "glad, cheerful".

From a Dutch surname meaning "rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).

Means "my joy" or "my song" in Hebrew.

Diminutive of Rosemarie, Rosemary, and names beginning with Rom.

From Roma, the Latin name of the city of Rome, combined with a diminutive suffix. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the twin sons of Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. Romulus killed his brother when they argued about where to found Rome. According to the tale he gave the city its name, though in reality it was likely the other way around.

Feminine form of Romuald.

Means "famous battle" from the Germanic elements hruom "fame, glory" and hilt "battle".

French feminine form of Romeo.

From the novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, where it is a place name meaning "horse country" in the fictional language Sindarin.

Short form of Roeland or Roelof.

Means "dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".

From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel.

Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.

Modern Norwegian form of Hróarr.

Derived from the Greek adjective ῥοδωπός (rhodopos) meaning "rosy-faced, rosy", which consists of the Greek noun ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose" combined with the Greek noun ὤψ (ops) meaning "eye, face, countenance".

In Greek mythology, Rhodope is the wife of king Haemus of Thrace.

Means "kings" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de los Reyes, meaning "The Virgin of the Kings". According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand III of Castile and told him his armies would defeat those of the Moors in Seville.

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

English form of Rémy, occasionally used as a feminine name.

Meaning uncertain, possibly from Old Latin *yemos meaning "twin" with the initial consonant altered due to the influence of Romulus. In Roman legend the twin brothers Romulus and Remus were the founders of the city of Rome. Remus was later slain by his brother.

Means "remedy" in Catalan, a Catalan equivalent of Remedios.

Short form of names containing rel, such as Mirella, Estrella or Aurelia or used as an independent name. Notable bearer is Canadian author Rella Braithwaite (1923-).

Means "mercy, compassion" in Swahili, from Arabic رحْمة (raḥma).

Roman cognomen meaning "prince, little king", a diminutive of Latin rex "king". This was the cognomen of several 3rd-century BC consuls from the gens Atilia. It was also the name of several early saints. A star in the constellation Leo bears this name as well.

Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.

Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.

French feminine form of Raymond.

Derived either from Arabic ريا (raya) meaning "aroma, fragrance, perfume" or راية (rayah) meaning "flag, banner, ensign".

Means "storyteller" in Arabic, derived from روى (rawā) meaning "to relate, to tell" [1].

Means "ornament, necklace" in Hebrew.

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

Derived from Old Irish rath "grace, prosperity" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint.

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.

Probably a Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Herais.

Means "spacious" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a woman of Jericho who helped the Israelites capture the city.

Originally a short form of Radovana, now used independently.

From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.

From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.

Means "abounding in song", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and ὕμνος (hymnos) meaning "song, hymn". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of dance and sacred songs, one of the nine Muses.

From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998 [1].

Means "little leaf" in Greenlandic, from piloqut "leaf" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.

From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.

From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.

the son of Helios

From Greek meaning "Shining one". Phaethon was the son of the sun god Helios, who asked to drive the celestial chariot that drove the sun across the sky. After losing control, Zeus killed him with a lightning strike.

From the Greek name Περικλῆς (Perikles), which was derived from Greek περί (peri) meaning "around, exceedingly" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian statesman and general. It is also the name of the central character in the play Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608) written (or co-written) by William Shakespeare.

Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.

It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century. It was moderately popular in the 1940s, but had a more notable upswing in the early 2000s. This may have been inspired by the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz (1974-), who gained prominence in English-language movies at that time. It was already rapidly rising when celebrities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their baby daughter in 2012.

Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the goddess of peace.

Czech feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).

Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland [1].

Variant of Patricia.

Spanish feminine form of Pascal.

From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover" [1]. Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.

Means "of the mountains", derived from Sanskrit पर्वत (parvata) meaning "mountain". Parvati is a Hindu goddess of love and power, the benign form of the wife of Shiva. A daughter of the mountain god Himavat, she was a reincarnation of Shiva's first wife Sati. She is the mother of Ganesha and Skanda.

Means "butterfly" in Persian.

From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".

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.

This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.

Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.

Means "resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with वती (vatī) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of a Hindu goddess, the wife of Venkateswara. She is considered an aspect of Lakshmi. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 14th-century queen of Mewar.

Means "story" in Turkish.

English variant or Latin American Spanish form of Ophelia.

Feminine form of Olympos.

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

Feminine form of Nymphodoros. This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Menodora and Metrodora.

Diminutive of Nora 1. It was used by Patricia Reilly Giff for the central character in her children's novel Nory Ryan's Song (2000).

Feminine form of Norbert and Norberto.

Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.

Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).

Means "sword blade", as well as "whale".

From the Breton phrase Noyal Gwenn meaning "holy one from Noyal". This was the epithet of a 6th-century saint and martyr from Brittany.

Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.

Feminine form of Noël.

Means "Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).

Variant of Noé.

Means "lady of the white cave" in Sindarin. In J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Unfinished Tales', Nimrodel was an elf maiden who loved the elven king of Lóthlorien, Amroth. She wished to marry Amroth, but before they were wed Nimrodel became lost on a journey and was never heard from again. Two elements of her name are nim "white" and rod "cave".

Derived from Sanskrit निकेत (niketa) meaning "house, habitation".

Nickname for someone with a good voice from Middle English nightegale "nightingale" (Old English nihtegale, ultimately from niht "night" and galan "to sing").

Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".

Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.

Variant of Natalie.

French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.

Latinate form of Natalia (see Natalie).

From Sanskrit नन्द (nanda) meaning "joy".

Meaning "Something secret or unexplainable; an unknown", "Someone or something with an obscure or puzzling nature". From Middle English mysterie, from Anglo-Norman misterie, from Old French mistere, from Latin mysterium, from Ancient Greek μυστήριον ‎(mustḗrion, "a mystery, a secret, a secret rite"), from μύστης ‎(mústēs, "initiated one"), from μυέω ‎(muéō, "I initiate"), from μύω ‎(múō, "I shut").

Apparently a feminine form of Musidorus, which was perhaps coined by the poet Sir Philip Sidney in the late 16th century for use in his poem 'Arcadia'. Allegedly it is intended to mean "gift of the Muses" from Greek Μοῦσα (Mousa) "Muse", literally "muse, music, song" (compare Musaeus), and the popular name suffix δωρα (dora) "giving" or "gift". Scottish poet James Thomson used it for the lover of Damon in his work 'The Seasons' (1730). It was later the stage name of French silent film actress Jeanne Roques (1889-1957).

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

'Nicholas Nickleby'

Manx cognate of Mòrag. This name was traditionally Anglicized as the etymologically unrelated Sarah.

Mix of the words "moon" and "sky" sky meaning "beyond earth" and moon after the planet that reflects the light of the sun

From the English word moonglow, a synonym for "moonlight".

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 문 (see Mun).

From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.

From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).

As a given name it was mostly masculine in America until around 2009. It was already rising in popularity for girls when singer Mariah Carey gave it to her daughter born 2011 (though this probably helped accelerate it).

Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.

From the English word misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.

Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". It can also be derived from Czech and Slovak mladá meaning "young", ultimately from Old Slavic *moldŭ.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names containing that element.

Means "cute, darling" in French. This is the name of a character in Ambroise Thomas's opera Mignon (1866), which was based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1796).

Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.

From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).

This name is also common for girls in Estonia, though a connection to the English-language name is uncertain.

The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.

Means "blackbird" in Dutch.

From the Welsh name Maredudd or Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as Margetud, possibly from mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).

From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Means "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity" [1].

Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.

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".

Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius [2] this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso [3] belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.

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).

Derived from Latin melior meaning "better".

From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.

The name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and was introduced from there to England, though it eventually became rare. Interest in it was revived by the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939).

Diminutive of Mabel. This is an American cosmetics company, which was named after the founder's sister Mabel in 1915.

Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

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).

Anglicized form of Máirín.

Medieval English and French form of Matilda. Though it became rare after the 14th century, it was revived and once more grew popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to Alfred Tennyson's 1855 poem Maud [1].

Means "great mother", from Celtic *mātīr meaning "mother" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a Gaulish and Brythonic mother goddess, the namesake of the River Marne [1].

From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.

The name was very popular until the 15th century in England, usually in the vernacular form Maud. Both forms were revived by the 19th century. This name appears in the popular Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda, written in 1895.

From Turkish masal meaning "fairy tale, story".

French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.

Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.

Form of Martha used in various languages.

Blend of Maria and Magdalene. It refers, therefore, to Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament. The name was popularized by the German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), whose real name was Maria Magdalene Dietrich.

Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".

Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".

Medieval French diminutive of Marie.

French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.

Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Combination of Mary and the common name suffix lyn. It was very rare before the start of the 20th century. It was popularized in part by the American stage star Marilyn Miller (1898-1936), who was born Mary Ellen Reynolds and took her stage name from a combination of her birth name and her mother's middle name Lynn. It became popular in the United States during the 1920s, reaching a high point ranked 13th in 1936. Famous bearers include American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962; real name Norma Jeane Mortenson) and American opera singer Marilyn Horne (1934-).

Roman feminine form of Marianus. After the classical era it was sometimes interpreted as a combination of Maria and Ana. In Portuguese it is further used as a form of Mariamne.

Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.

Feminine form of Marcius. It was borne by a few very minor saints. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 18th century [1].

Variant of Malaurie.

From an English word meaning "harmful, evil", derived from Latin maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty (1959).

French borrowing of Mallory.

From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

From Dakota or Lakota maȟpíya meaning "cloud, sky". This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.

Originally a medieval Portuguese form of Matilda. This name was borne by the wife of Afonso, the first king of Portugal. In modern times it was the name of the titular character in a popular Argentine comic strip (published from 1964 to 1973) by Quino.

Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).

Lylie was first recorded as a diminutive of Elizabeth in 13th century England.
It was later, in England in the 19th and early 20th centuries, revived as a diminutive of Eliza.

Means "correct, right, good" in Zulu and Ndebele.

Means "snow" in Finnish.

Derived from either Albanian lumë "river" or from Albanian lume, a term referring to "powerful and beautiful mountain fairies".

From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).

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

From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl [1]. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.

From the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin Mary in a nearby grotto.

Elaboration of Lori with the popular name suffix inda.

From German Loreley, the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. It is of uncertain meaning, though the second element is probably old German ley meaning "rock" (of Celtic origin). German romantic poets and songwriters, beginning with Clemens Brentano in 1801, tell that a maiden named the Lorelei lives on the rock and lures boaters to their death with her song.

In the English-speaking world this name has been occasionally given since the early 20th century. It started rising in America after the variant Lorelai was used for the main character (and her daughter, nicknamed Rory) on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007).

Corruption of Salome.

Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.

Meaning simply "little", it was originally a nickname given to a short person.

Variant of Linnéa.

From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).

From Chinese 灵 (líng) meaning "spirit, soul", 铃 (líng) meaning "bell, chime", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.

From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Elisabet or Eliisabet.

Possibly from Old Irish líath meaning "grey". According to an Irish tale this was the name of a poet who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief. The name was also borne by a 5th-century saint, the mother of Saint Ciarán the Elder.

Derived from Latin levitas "lightness", referring to both weight, temperament and mood.

Medieval form of Letitia.

From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.

Feminine form of Leon.

Feminine form of Leo.

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.

Italian form of Laelia.

Lithuanian form of Leah.

From the English word, referring to a story about the past (or by extension, a heroic character in such a story), ultimately from Latin legere "to read".

From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".

Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.

From the English word for the type of songbird.

a bright blue metamorphic rock consisting largely of lazurite, used for decoration and in jewelry.

Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.

Means "fate" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic.

Middle English form of Cyneburg.

Variant of Kinborough.

From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".

From the name of a village on the island of Islay, Scotland, in which the first element is from Gaelic cille meaning "church, cell". It is thought to mean "monastery" or "church of Saint Eithne". The Scottish writer James Hogg used it in his poem 'Kilmeny' (1813) for the female title character. This is also the name of the heroine in Canadian author L. M. Montgomery's novel 'Kilmeny of the Orchard' (1910). It was borne by Australian artist and illustrator Kilmeny Niland (1950-2009), daughter of the writers Ruth Park and Darcy Niland.

Transferred use of the surname Kerrigan.

Anglicized form of Mac Diarmada (see McDermott).

From an English last name, specifically from Cornwall. Famous bearer is American harpist Kennerly Kitt.

Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.

Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.

From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

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 jubilee meaning "season of rejoicing", which is derived from Hebrew יוֹבֵל (yovel) "ram, ram's horn; a jubilee year: a year of rest, prescribed by the Jewish Bible to occur each fiftieth year, after seven cycles of seven years; a period of celebration or rejoicing" (via Late Latin iubilaeus and Greek ἰώβηλος (iobelos)). In Latin, the form of the word was altered by association with the unrelated Latin verb iubilare "to shout with joy".

It may also refer to African-American folk songs known as Jubilees.

In popular culture, Jubilee is the 'mutant' name (a contraction of Jubilation Lee) of one of the protagonists of Marvel's X-Men line of comics.

From the medieval masculine name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name Judoc meaning "lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).

Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Medieval form of Julian. The author John Galsworthy used it for a character in his Forsyte Saga novels (published between 1906 and 1922).

Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).

Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French form of Iohanna (see Joanna). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.

This name (in various spellings) has been common among European royalty, being borne by ruling queens of Naples, Navarre and Castile. Another famous bearer was Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France (where she is known as Jeanne d'Arc). She was a 15th-century peasant girl who, after claiming she heard messages from God, was given leadership of the French army. She defeated the English in the battle of Orléans but was eventually captured and burned at the stake.

Other notable bearers include the actress Joan Crawford (1904-1977) and the comedian Joan Rivers (1933-2014), both Americans.

Variant of Jynx, or else directly from the American English word meaning "a charm, a spell", which is ultimately derived from the same source (Greek iynx "wryneck", a bird used in witchcraft and divination). This was the name of Halle Berry's character in the James Bond film 'Die Another Day' (2002), in which case it was a diminutive of Giacinta.

Means "son of Jenk", a short form of Jenkin, a diminutive of Jen, itself a Middle English form of John.

From Sino-Korean 枝 (ji) meaning "branch, limb", 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" or 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with 恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Originally a Scots diminutive of Jean 2. In modern times it is also used as a diminutive of Jessica.

This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).

Short form of Jesse or Jessica.

Derived from Albanian jehonë meaning "echo".

Medieval English variant of Jehanne (see Jane). It was common in England and Scotland during the Middle Ages, but eventually became rare in England. It was reintroduced to the English-speaking world from Scotland in the 19th century.

Elaborated form of Jane.

French cognate of Hyacinth 2.

From the English word for the orange precious stone, originating from the same source as Hyacinth.

From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.

Quasi-Marian name connected to the devotion of Notre Dame de Liesse in Picardy. According to the legend, Ismeria ("the Black Madonna") was a Moorish girl who converted to Christianity and released the crusaders captivated by her father because of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
The name Ismeria is now most frequently found in association with the legend of Saint Ismeria, an obscure figure who dates back to 12th century European folklore. According to Jacobus de Voragine's The Golden Legend (c.1260), Ismeria was the sister of Saint Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. Ismeria herself was the mother of Elizabeth, and therefore grandmother of Saint John the Baptist.
The origins and meaning of the name itself are debated. Theories include a feminine variant of the Germanic name Ismar, a Picard corruption of some unidentified Arabic name, a corruption of Ismenia and a corruption of Arabic Isma and Asma.

German form of Ermengard.

Cognate of Iris.

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.

Form of Irene in several languages.

Means "related to Iris or rainbows", ultimately from Greek ἶρις (genitive ἴριδος). It briefly entered the American top 1000 list in 1995, likely due to a Mexican singer named Iridián.

Greek variant of Iris, from the genitive form Ἴριδος (Iridos).

Form of Irene in several languages.

From the name of the European island country, derived from Irish Gaelic Éire, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.

Derived from Cherokee ᎢᏃᎵ (inoli) meaning "black fox".

Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.

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.

From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).

Means "bright heart", derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century [2].

From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.

Medieval diminutive of Hob.

From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.

French form of Honoratus or Honorius. A notable bearer was the French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).

Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.

From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.

Variant of Hole.

Means "heavenly star" from Hawaiian hōkū "star" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Diminutive of Hode. This is the name of Tevye's second daughter in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964), based on late 19th-century stories by Sholem Aleichem.

Swedish form of the Old Norse name Hjǫrdís meaning "sword goddess", derived from the elements hjǫrr "sword" and dís "goddess".

Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").

Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.

Feminine form of Herschel.

Portuguese form of Irmingard.

Possibly intended as a feminine form of the name Hercules.

The large asteroid named '532 Herculina' was discovered on April 20, 1904, by Max Wolf in Heidelberg, Germany and initially catalogued as 1904 NY.
The origin of its name is not known; it may be named after the mythical Hercules, given a feminine form as were all asteroids at the time, or after an unknown woman of that name. The bulk of the asteroids discovered by Wolf around this date were named for characters in operas, but if this name was also drawn from such a source, no explanation has been recorded.

From the Hebrew name חֶפְצִי־בָּה (Ḥeftsi-ba) meaning "my delight is in her". In the Old Testament she is the wife of King Hezekiah of Judah and the mother of Manasseh. The meaning of her name is explained in Isaiah 62:4.

Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.

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 Old German name Hadewig, derived from the Old German elements hadu "battle, combat" and wig "war". This was the name of a 13th-century German saint, the wife of the Polish duke Henry the Bearded. It was subsequently borne by a 14th-century Polish queen (usually known by her Polish name Jadwiga) who is now also regarded as a saint.

Means "autumn" in Turkish.

Possibly from Kurdish xezal meaning "gazelle, antelope" (of Arabic origin). It is also associated with Turkish hazan meaning "autumn" (of Persian origin).

From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.

Derived from Sanskrit हर्ष (harṣa) meaning "happiness".

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.

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

From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.

Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.

Means "bliss, happiness" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".

From Sino-Korean 夏 (ha) meaning "summer, great, grand" combined with 恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity". This name can also be formed by other hanja character combinations.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.

From Hebrew הֲדַס (haḏas) meaning "myrtle tree". In the Old Testament this is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther.

From Chinese 桂 (guì) meaning "laurel, cassia, cinnamon" combined with 英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed from other character combinations as well.

Possibly derived from the Old German elements gris "grey" and hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in The Decameron) and Chaucer (in The Canterbury Tales).

Derived from the Welsh given name Gruffudd.

Possibly derived from Old Irish grán meaning "grain" or gráin meaning "hatred, fear". In the Irish legend The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.

Medieval English feminine form of Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from Julian until the 17th century [1].

French feminine form of Gilbert.

Italian feminine form of Hyacinthus.

Diminutive of Eugenia.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Flannghaile, derived from the given name Flannghal meaning "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).

From a Scottish place name that was formerly the name of a kingdom in Scotland. It is said to be named for a Pictish kingdom called Fib.

Feminine variant of Ferran.

Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.

Feminine form of Erik. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.

From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".

From the English word envy meaning "envy, resentful desire", itself ultimately from Latin invidia, of the same meaning (compare Invidia). Use of the name has been influenced by the brand of perfume called Envy, which was introduced by Gucci in 1997.

Meaning unknown. This name first appeared in the late 19th century. It is the name of the main character in the novel Enola; or, her Fatal Mistake (1886) by Mary Young Ridenbaugh. The aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was named Enola Gay after the mother of the pilot, who was herself named for the book character.

Means "person with a story, storied person" in Yoruba.