Behind the Name: Tawnee's Personal Name List

Silas

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]

Other Scripts: Σίλας(Greek)

Pronounced: SIE-ləs(English)

Rating: 59% based on 78 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).

Morgan 1

Gender: Masculine

Usage: Welsh, English, French

Pronounced: MAWR-gən(American English) MAW-gən(British English) MAWR-GAN(French)

Rating: 55% based on 77 votes

From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).

Finnian

Gender: Masculine

Usage: Irish

Rating: 49% based on 37 votes

Derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).

Evander 1

Gender: Masculine

Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology

Other Scripts: Εὔανδρος(Ancient Greek)

Pronounced: i-VAN-dər(American English) i-VAN-də(British English)

Rating: 59% based on 77 votes

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

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)

Personal remark: Prn. eh-LIE-us

Rating: 68% based on 80 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.

Damian

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, Polish, Romanian, Dutch (Modern)

Pronounced: DAY-mee-ən(English) DA-myan(Polish)

Rating: 60% based on 67 votes

From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.

Cassander

Gender: Masculine

Usage: Ancient Greek (Latinized)

Other Scripts: Κάσσανδρος(Ancient Greek)

Rating: 47% based on 30 votes

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

Aubrey

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English

Pronounced: AWB-ree

Rating: 43% based on 39 votes

From Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich brought to England by the Normans. It was common in the Middle Ages, and was revived in the 19th century. Since the mid-1970s it has more frequently been given to girls, due to Bread's 1972 song Aubrey along with its similarity to the established feminine name Audrey.