lawruh's Personal Name List

Zipporah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Hebrew
Other Scripts: צִפּוֹרָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: zi-PAWR-ə(English) ZIP-ə-rə(English)
Rating: 50% based on 1 vote
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.
Zhanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Other Scripts: Жанна(Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian)
Pronounced: ZHAN-nə(Russian)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Jeanne.
Zenaida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Greek
Other Scripts: Ζηναΐδα(Ancient Greek)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
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.
Zelda 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Yiddish
Other Scripts: זעלדאַ(Yiddish)
Rating: 33% based on 6 votes
Possibly a feminine form of Zelig.
Yeva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Other Scripts: Ева(Russian) Єва(Ukrainian) Եվա(Armenian)
Pronounced: YEH-və(Russian) yeh-VAH(Armenian)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Eve.
Yelena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Елена(Russian)
Pronounced: yi-LYEH-nə, i-LYEH-nə
Rating: 34% based on 5 votes
Russian form of Helen.
Xanthe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Ξάνθη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: KSAN-TEH(Classical Greek)
Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.
Willa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-ə
Rating: 42% based on 6 votes
Feminine form of William.
Wallace
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: WAHL-əs(American English) WAWL-əs(British English)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.
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.

Vivienne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: VEE-VYEHN
Rating: 30% based on 1 vote
French form of Viviana.
Vivian
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: VIV-ee-ən(English)
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.
Verdie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (American), American (South)
Pronounced: VUR-dee(American English, American (South))
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant or diminutive of Verity or Vera 1. This name was most well used in the Southeastern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used for a character, Verdie Foster, on the American television series The Waltons (1972-1981).
Vera 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Other Scripts: Вера(Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian) ვერა(Georgian)
Pronounced: VYEH-rə(Russian) VIR-ə(English) VEHR-ə(English) VEH-ra(German, Dutch) VEH-rah(Swedish) BEH-ra(Spanish) VEH-raw(Hungarian)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Vasco
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese, Spanish, Italian
Pronounced: VASH-koo(European Portuguese) VAS-koo(Brazilian Portuguese) BAS-ko(Spanish) VA-sko(Italian)
Rating: 6% based on 5 votes
From the medieval Spanish name Velasco, which possibly meant "crow" in Basque. A famous bearer was the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (c. 1460-1524), the first person to sail from Europe around Africa to India.
Valerie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Czech
Pronounced: VAL-ə-ree(English) VA-lə-ree(German)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
English and German form of Valeria, as well as a Czech variant of Valérie.
Ulyssa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: yoo-LIS-ə
Rating: 33% based on 6 votes
Feminine form of Ulysses.
Twyla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TWIE-lə
Variant of Twila.
Thea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Pronounced: TEH-a(German) THEE-ə(English)
Rating: 40% based on 7 votes
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.
Sylvie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Czech
Pronounced: SEEL-VEE(French) SIL-vi-yeh(Czech)
Rating: 0% based on 2 votes
French and Czech form of Silvia.
Sybil
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SIB-əl
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.
Sunniva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
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.
Solveig
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Pronounced: SOOL-vie(Norwegian) SOOL-vay(Swedish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
From an Old Norse name, which was derived from the elements sól "sun" and veig "strength". This is the name of the heroine in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (1876).
Solomon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: שְׁלֹמֹה(Hebrew) Σολομών(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SAHL-ə-mən(American English) SAWL-ə-mən(British English)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
From the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomo), which was derived from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

This name has never been overly common in the Christian world, and it is considered typically Jewish. It was however borne by an 11th-century Hungarian king.

Sloane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SLON
Rating: 70% based on 1 vote
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Sluaghadháin, itself derived from the given name Sluaghadhán.
Silas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Σίλας(Greek)
Pronounced: SIE-ləs(English)
Rating: 67% based on 7 votes
The name of a companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament. It is probably a short form of Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that Silvanus and Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Saul (via Aramaic).

As an English name it was not used until after the Protestant Reformation. It was utilized by George Eliot for the title character in her novel Silas Marner (1861).

Saoirse
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SEER-shə
Rating: 0% based on 2 votes
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Samuel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
Other Scripts: שְׁמוּאֵל(Hebrew) ሳሙኤል(Amharic)
Pronounced: SAM-yoo-əl(English) SAM-yəl(English) SA-MWEHL(French) ZA-mwehl(German) SA-muy-ehl(Dutch) sa-MWEHL(Spanish) su-moo-EHL(European Portuguese) sa-moo-EW(Brazilian Portuguese) sa-MOO-ehl(Polish) SA-moo-ehl(Czech, Slovak, Swedish) SAH-moo-ehl(Finnish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
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).

Sally
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SAL-ee
Rating: 32% based on 6 votes
Diminutive of Sarah, often used independently.
Ruth 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: רוּת(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ROOTH(English) ROOT(German, Spanish)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
From the Hebrew name רוּת (Ruṯ), probably derived from the word רְעוּת (reʿuṯ) meaning "female friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. There she met and married Boaz. She was an ancestor of King David.

As a Christian name, Ruth has been in use since the Protestant Reformation. In England it was associated with the archaic word ruth meaning "pity, compassion" (now only commonly seen in the word ruthless). The name became very popular in America following the birth of "Baby" Ruth Cleveland (1891-1904), the daughter of President Grover Cleveland.

Runa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Pronounced: ROO-nah(Norwegian) ROO-na(Danish, Swedish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Feminine form of Rune.
Rosanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, English
Pronounced: ro-ZAN-na(Italian) ro-ZAN-ə(English)
Rating: 100% based on 2 votes
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.
Rosalind
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHZ-ə-lind(American English) RAWZ-ə-lind(British English)
Rating: 83% based on 7 votes
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).
Rosalie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, German, Dutch, English
Pronounced: RAW-ZA-LEE(French) ro-za-LEE(German, Dutch) RO-sa-lee(Dutch) ro-sa-LEE(Dutch) RO-za-lee(Dutch) RO-zə-lee(English)
Rating: 100% based on 2 votes
French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.
Remy
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
English form of Rémy, occasionally used as a feminine name.
Reina 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: RAY-na
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
Means "queen" in Spanish.
Reese
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English
Rating: 40% based on 1 vote
Anglicized form of Rhys. It is also used as a feminine name, popularized by the American actress Reese Witherspoon (1976-).
Ranulf
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval English
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Medieval English form of Raginolf. Norman settlers and invaders introduced this name to England and Scotland.
Rainier
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French (Rare)
Pronounced: REH-NYEH
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
French form of Rayner.
Rainer
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: RIE-nu(German)
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
German form of Rayner.
Petra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Other Scripts: Петра(Bulgarian) Πέτρα(Greek)
Pronounced: PEH-tra(German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak) PEH-traw(Hungarian) PEHT-rah(Finnish) PEHT-rə(English)
Rating: 39% based on 7 votes
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Pernille
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Danish, Norwegian
Pronounced: peh-NEEL-lə(Danish) peh-NEEL-leh(Norwegian)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Peregrine
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: PEHR-ə-grin
Personal remark: mn only
Rating: 67% based on 6 votes
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
Penny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PEHN-ee
Personal remark: as a nn
Rating: 40% based on 6 votes
Diminutive of Penelope. It can also be given in reference to the copper coin (a British pound or an American dollar are worth 100 of them), derived from Old English penning.
Opal
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: O-pəl
Rating: 30% based on 1 vote
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Noreen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: naw-REEN(English)
Rating: 0% based on 2 votes
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Norah 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Irish
Pronounced: NAWR-ə(English)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Variant of Nora 1.
Noelle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: no-EHL
Rating: 60% based on 1 vote
English form of Noëlle.
Niall
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: NYEEYL(Irish)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Irish form of Neil.
Neil
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Scottish, English
Pronounced: NEEL(English)
Rating: 20% based on 1 vote
From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero" [1][2]. A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.

In the early Middle Ages the name was adopted by Norse raiders and settlers in Ireland in the form Njáll. The Norse transmitted it to England and Scotland, as well as bringing it back to Scandinavia. It was also in use among the Normans, who were of Scandinavian origin. A famous bearer of this name was American astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), the first person to walk on the moon.

Nadia 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Надя(Russian, Bulgarian) Надія(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: NA-DYA(French) NA-dya(Italian, Polish) NA-dhya(Spanish) NAD-ee-ə(English) NAHD-ee-ə(English) NA-dyə(Russian)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century [1]. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-) [2].
Murray
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: MUR-ee
Rating: 30% based on 5 votes
From a surname, which is either Scottish or Irish in origin (see Murray 1 and Murray 2).
Mireia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Catalan, Spanish
Pronounced: mee-REH-yə(Catalan) mee-REH-ya(Spanish)
Rating: 38% based on 6 votes
Catalan form of Mirèio (see Mireille).
Minnie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIN-ee
Rating: 28% based on 5 votes
Diminutive of Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.
Minna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German (Archaic), Finnish, Swedish
Pronounced: MI-na(German) MEEN-nah(Finnish)
Rating: 60% based on 1 vote
Means "love" in Old German, specifically medieval courtly love. It is also used as a short form of Wilhelmina. This is the name of the title character in the play Minna von Barnhelm (1767) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
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.

Meryl
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MEHR-əl
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Maureen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: maw-REEN(English)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Anglicized form of Máirín.
Maris 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: MEHR-is, MAR-is
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".
Marina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Other Scripts: Μαρίνα(Greek) Марина(Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian) მარინა(Georgian)
Pronounced: ma-REE-na(Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Macedonian) mə-REE-nə(Catalan) mə-REEN-ə(English) mu-RYEE-nə(Russian) MA-ri-na(Czech)
Rating: 30% based on 1 vote
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.
Marilène
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: MA-REE-LEHN
Rating: 19% based on 7 votes
Combination of Marie and Hélène.
Mariel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Philippines), English (American)
Pronounced: ma-RYEHL(Spanish) MEHR-ee-əl(English) MAR-ee-əl(English)
Rating: 29% based on 7 votes
Diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel.
Margot
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: MAR-GO
Rating: 70% based on 1 vote
French short form of Margaret.
Margaret
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHR-grit(American English) MAHR-gə-rit(American English) MAH-grit(British English) MAH-gə-rit(British English)
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.

As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it declined in the latter half of the 20th century.

Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of Gone with the Wind, and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-). Others include American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

Maren
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Danish, Norwegian
Pronounced: MAH-rehn(Danish)
Rating: 18% based on 4 votes
Danish diminutive of Marina or Maria.
Malcolm
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: MAL-kəm(English)
Rating: 10% based on 1 vote
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
Maeve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MAYV(English)
Rating: 47% based on 9 votes
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Mae
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY
Rating: 50% based on 7 votes
Variant of May. A famous bearer was the American actress Mae West (1893-1980), whose birth name was Mary.
Mabel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY-bəl
Rating: 46% based on 8 votes
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe [1], which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Lyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Astronomy
Pronounced: LIE-rə(English)
Rating: 51% based on 7 votes
The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).
Lucy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-see
Rating: 74% based on 8 votes
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Lucienne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: LUY-SYEHN
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Feminine form of Lucien.
Louise
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
Pronounced: LWEEZ(French) loo-EEZ(English) loo-EE-sə(Danish) loo-EE-zə(German)
Rating: 51% based on 7 votes
French feminine form of Louis.
Liora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: לִיאוֹרָה(Hebrew)
Rating: 29% based on 8 votes
Strictly feminine form of Lior.
Lior
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: לִיאוֹר(Hebrew)
Rating: 16% based on 7 votes
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Libuše
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech
Pronounced: LI-boo-sheh
Rating: 17% based on 7 votes
Derived from Czech libý meaning "pleasant, nice", from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love". According to Czech legend Libuše was the founder of Prague.
Lenora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Short form of Elenora.
Leda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, Italian
Other Scripts: Λήδα(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: LEH-DA(Classical Greek) LEE-də(English) LAY-də(English) LEH-da(Italian)
Rating: 34% based on 7 votes
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Leander
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Λέανδρος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: lee-AN-dər(American English) lee-AN-də(British English)
Rating: 33% based on 7 votes
Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Katharina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: ka-ta-REE-na(German, Swedish)
Rating: 39% based on 7 votes
German form of Katherine.
Juniper
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: JOON-i-pər(American English) JOON-i-pə(British English)
Rating: 47% based on 7 votes
From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.
June
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JOON
Rating: 35% based on 8 votes
From the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Jasper
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Pronounced: JAS-pər(American English) JAS-pə(British English) YAHS-pər(Dutch)
Rating: 90% based on 1 vote
From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer" [1], derived from Old Persian ganzabarah. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.
Janie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAY-nee
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Diminutive of Jane.
Ivah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Other Scripts: עִוָּה(Ancient Hebrew)
Rating: 15% based on 4 votes
Possibly from the name of the city of Ivah in the Old Testament.
Iva 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Ива(Bulgarian, Serbian)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Means "willow tree" in South Slavic.
Isaura
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese, Spanish, Late Roman
Pronounced: ee-SOW-ra(Spanish)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Late Latin name meaning "from Isauria". Isauria was the name of a region in Asia Minor.
Isadora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Portuguese
Pronounced: iz-ə-DAWR-ə(English)
Rating: 51% based on 8 votes
Variant of Isidora. A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).
Irwin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: UR-win(American English) U-win(British English)
Rating: 13% based on 7 votes
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Eoforwine.
Iris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Other Scripts: Ἶρις(Ancient Greek) Ίρις(Greek)
Pronounced: IE-ris(English) EE-ris(German, Dutch) EE-rees(Finnish, Spanish, Catalan, Italian) EE-REES(French)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
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.
Irina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Other Scripts: Ирина(Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian) ირინა(Georgian)
Pronounced: i-RYEE-nə(Russian) EE-ree-nah(Finnish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Form of Irene in several languages.
Irene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Εἰρήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ie-REEN(English) ie-REE-nee(English) ee-REH-neh(Italian, Spanish) EE-reh-neh(Finnish) ee-REH-nə(German, Dutch)
Rating: 40% based on 1 vote
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.

This name has traditionally been more popular among Eastern Christians. In the English-speaking world it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

Ira 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: עִירָא(Hebrew)
Pronounced: IE-rə(English)
Means "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King David's priest. As an English Christian given name, Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
Ilona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Pronounced: EE-lo-naw(Hungarian) ee-LO-na(German) EE-lo-na(German) EE-lo-nah(Finnish) ee-LAW-na(Polish) I-lo-na(Czech)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
Ida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: IE-də(English) EE-da(German, Dutch, Italian, Polish) EE-dah(Swedish, Norwegian, Danish) EE-daw(Hungarian)
Rating: 53% based on 4 votes
Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Though the etymology is unrelated, this is the name of a mountain on the island of Crete where, according to Greek myth, the god Zeus was born.

Hershel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: American, Yiddish
Other Scripts: הירשל(Yiddish) הירשׁל(Hebrew)
Rating: 70% based on 1 vote
Yiddish diminutive of Hirsh. As a non-Jewish American name (somewhat common around the end of the 19th century), it was likely inspired by the German surname Herschel, borne for instance by the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822).
Heath
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HEETH
Rating: 20% based on 1 vote
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].
Hazel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAY-zəl
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Hannah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַנָּה(Hebrew) حنّة(Arabic)
Pronounced: HAN-ə(English) HA-na(German) HAH-na(Dutch) HAN-na(Arabic)
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.

As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation, unlike the vernacular forms Anne and Ann and the Latin form Anna, which were used from the late Middle Ages. In the last half of the 20th century Hannah surged in popularity and neared the top of the name rankings for both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Halina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish, Belarusian
Other Scripts: Галіна(Belarusian)
Pronounced: kha-LEE-na(Polish) gha-LYEE-na(Belarusian)
Rating: 30% based on 7 votes
Polish and Belarusian form of Galina.
Francis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: FRAN-sis(English) FRAHN-SEES(French)
Rating: 54% based on 7 votes
English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.

Due to the renown of the saint, this name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. However, it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century. Famous bearers include Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), a missionary to East Asia, the philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon (1561-1626), the explorer and admiral Francis Drake (1540-1595), and Pope Francis (1936-).

In the English-speaking world this name is occasionally used for girls, as a variant of the homophone Frances.

Fern
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FURN(American English) FUN(British English)
Rating: 16% based on 7 votes
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Evanthe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Εὐάνθη(Ancient Greek)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Latinized form of Euanthe.
Eudora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Εὐδώρα(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: yoo-DAWR-ə(English)
Rating: 33% based on 7 votes
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Etzel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Germanic Mythology
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Form of Attila used in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.
Erna 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Slovene
Pronounced: EHR-na(German, Dutch) EH-nah(Swedish)
Rating: 40% based on 1 vote
Feminine form of Ernest.
Emmeline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM-ə-leen, EHM-ə-lien
Rating: 70% based on 1 vote
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.
Elsie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Swedish
Pronounced: EHL-see(English)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Eloise
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-o-eez, ehl-o-EEZ
Rating: 66% based on 9 votes
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.

There was a medieval English form of this name, Helewis, though it died out after the 13th century. In the 19th century it was revived in the English-speaking world in the form Eloise.

Elmer
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-mər(American English) EHL-mə(British English)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
From a surname that was derived from the Old English name Æðelmær. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
Ellis
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English, Welsh
Pronounced: EHL-is(English)
Rating: 40% based on 1 vote
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Eliza
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian
Other Scripts: ელიზა(Georgian)
Pronounced: i-LIE-zə(English) eh-LEE-za(Polish) EH-lee-zaw(Hungarian)
Rating: 58% based on 9 votes
Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).
Elias
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Ηλίας(Greek) ኤልያስ(Amharic) Ἠλίας(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: i-LEE-ush(European Portuguese) eh-LEE-us(Brazilian Portuguese) eh-LEE-as(German) EH-lee-ahs(Finnish, Dutch) i-LIE-əs(English) ee-LIE-əs(English)
Rating: 57% based on 7 votes
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.
Eli 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek [1], Biblical Hebrew [2]
Other Scripts: עֵלִי(Hebrew) Ἠλί, Ἡλί(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EE-lie(English)
Rating: 51% based on 8 votes
Means "ascension" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend". In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.

Eli has been used as an English Christian given name since the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was the American inventor of the cotton gin Eli Whitney (1765-1825).

Eleanor
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-ə-nawr(American English) EHL-ə-naw(British English)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.

The popularity of the name Eleanor in England during the Middle Ages was due to the fame of Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as two queens of the following century: Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I. More recently, it was borne by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the wife of American president Franklin Roosevelt.

Eira 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: AY-ra
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Edith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Pronounced: EE-dith(English) EH-dit(German, Swedish, Dutch)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Eamon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: EH-mən
Rating: 31% based on 7 votes
Variant of Éamonn.
Dinah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, English
Other Scripts: דִּינָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: DIE-nə(English) DEE-nə(English)
Rating: 45% based on 6 votes
Means "judged" in Hebrew, derived from דִּין (din) meaning "to judge". According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
Diana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Other Scripts: Диана(Russian, Bulgarian) Діана(Ukrainian) Դիանա(Armenian) დიანა(Georgian)
Pronounced: die-AN-ə(English) DYA-na(Spanish, Italian, Polish) dee-U-nu(European Portuguese) jee-U-nu(Brazilian Portuguese) dee-A-na(Romanian, German, Dutch, Latin) dee-A-nə(Catalan) dyee-A-nu(Ukrainian) DI-ya-na(Czech) DEE-a-na(Slovak)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

As a given name, Diana has been regularly used since the Renaissance. It became more common in the English-speaking world following Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817), which featured a character named Diana Vernon. It also appeared in George Meredith's novel Diana of the Crossways (1885). A notable bearer was the British royal Diana Spencer (1961-1997), the Princess of Wales.

Demetria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1], English
Other Scripts: Δημητρία(Ancient Greek)
Rating: 33% based on 7 votes
Feminine form of Demetrius.
Demeter 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Δημήτηρ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DEH-MEH-TEHR(Classical Greek) də-MEET-ər(American English) də-MEET-ə(British English)
Personal remark: mn only
Rating: 30% based on 7 votes
Possibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek δᾶ (da) meaning "earth" and μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of Cronus, the sister of Zeus, and the mother of Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
Delphine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: DEHL-FEEN
Rating: 54% based on 7 votes
French form of Delphina.
Corinne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: KAW-REEN(French) kə-REEN(English) kə-RIN(English)
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
Corinna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Κόριννα(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ko-RI-na(German) kə-REEN-ə(English) kə-RIN-ə(English)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Latinized form of the Greek name Κόριννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores [1]. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying [2].
Conall
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1], Irish Mythology
Rating: 37% based on 7 votes
Means "rule of a wolf", from Old Irish "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and fal "rule" [2]. This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged Cúchulainn's death by killing Lugaid.
Clark
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KLAHRK(American English) KLAHK(British English)
Rating: 10% based on 1 vote
From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Celia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish
Pronounced: SEEL-yə(English) SEE-lee-ə(English) THEHL-ya(European Spanish) SEHL-ya(Latin American Spanish)
Rating: 60% based on 7 votes
Feminine form of the Roman family name Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of Cecilia.
Cecilia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish
Pronounced: seh-SEE-lee-ə(English) seh-SEEL-yə(English) cheh-CHEE-lya(Italian) theh-THEE-lya(European Spanish) seh-SEE-lya(Latin American Spanish) seh-SEEL-yah(Danish, Norwegian) sə-SEE-lee-a(Dutch)
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.

Due to the popularity of the saint, the name became common in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans brought it to England, where it was commonly spelled Cecily — the Latinate form Cecilia came into use in the 18th century.

Benjamin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical
Other Scripts: בִּנְיָמִין(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: BEHN-jə-min(English) BEHN-ZHA-MEHN(French) BEHN-ya-meen(German) BEHN-ya-min(Dutch)
Rating: 90% based on 1 vote
From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).

As an English name, Benjamin came into general use after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher.

Baruch
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
Other Scripts: בָּרוּך(Hebrew)
Pronounced: bə-ROOK(English) BEHR-uwk(English) BAHR-uwk(English)
Rating: 20% based on 7 votes
From the Hebrew name בָּרוּך (Baruḵ) meaning "blessed". In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Audrey
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: AWD-ree(English) O-DREH(French)
Rating: 50% based on 2 votes
Medieval diminutive of Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Astra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AS-trə
Rating: 53% based on 8 votes
Means "star", ultimately from Greek ἀστήρ (aster). This name has only been (rarely) used since the 20th century.
Armida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Pronounced: ar-MEE-da(Italian) ar-MEE-dha(Spanish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Probably created by the 16th-century Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580). In the poem Armida is a beautiful enchantress who bewitches many of the crusaders.
Annalisa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Rating: 30% based on 1 vote
Combination of Anna and Lisa.
Andromeda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἀνδρομέδα, Ἀνδρομέδη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AN-DRO-MEH-DA(Classical Greek) an-DRAH-mi-də(American English) an-DRAW-mi-də(British English)
Rating: 43% based on 7 votes
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.
Anasztázia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hungarian
Pronounced: AW-naws-ta-zee-aw
Rating: 36% based on 7 votes
Hungarian form of Anastasia.
Amelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Medieval French
Pronounced: ə-MEE-lee-ə(English) ə-MEEL-yə(English) a-MEH-lya(Spanish, Italian, Polish)
Rating: 61% based on 9 votes
Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

This name experienced a rise in popularity at the end of the 20th century. It was the most popular name for girls in England and Wales from 2011 to 2015.

Amedea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: a-meh-DEH-a
Rating: 37% based on 7 votes
Italian feminine form of Amadeus.
Alma 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
Pronounced: AL-mə(English) AL-ma(Spanish) AHL-ma(Dutch)
Rating: 44% based on 8 votes
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".
Alaric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized)
Other Scripts: 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Pronounced: AL-ə-rik(English)
Rating: 33% based on 7 votes
From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.
Áine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: A-nyə(Irish)
Rating: 0% based on 2 votes
Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.
Adrienne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: A-DREE-YEHN(French)
Rating: 20% based on 2 votes
French feminine form of Adrian.
Ada 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: AY-də(English) A-dha(Spanish) A-da(Dutch, Polish) AH-dah(Finnish)
Rating: 65% based on 2 votes
Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.
behindthename.com   ·   Copyright © 1996-2024