protobo998's Personal Name List

Finnish and Estonian form of Aaron.

Diminutive of Adamantios.

Roman family name that was possibly derived from the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.

From the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh aeron meaning "berries".

Created from an anagram of Ashoka, pitched by George Lucas after Ashoka the Great, the Indian Emperor of the Maurya Empire. Ahsoka Tano is a Jedi knight first introduced as Anakin Skywalker's Padawan apprentice in 'Star Wars: the clone Wars'.

Scottish Gaelic form of Alice.

From the name of a town in southwestern France where there is a famous image of the Virgin Mary.

From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

Means "golden moon" from Kazakh ай (ay) meaning "moon" and Persian زر (zar) meaning "gold".

From Japanese 茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

From Japanese 明 (aka) meaning "bright" or 朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with 里 (ri) meaning "village" or 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from 亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.

From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.

As an English name, Alban was occasionally used in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 18th century, though it is now uncommon.

Form of Albinus in several languages.

Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

Short form of Alfred.

Variant of Elijah.

Greek form of Alice. It also corresponds with the Greek word άλικη meaning "scarlet".

Short form of Adelina, Albina and names that end in alina.

Medieval French variant of Alice, also sometimes used as a masculine name. This is the name of the hero (a young Gaulish man) of a French comic book series, which debuted in 1948.

Finnish diminutive of names beginning with Al. This is also the Finnish word for a type of duck.

Anglicized form of Alistair.

From Ἀλφαῖος (Alphaios), the Greek form of a Hebrew name that meant "exchange". In the New Testament this is the name of the fathers of the apostles James the Lesser and Levi.

Meaning unknown, possibly a variant of Alphaeus, or possibly from an Umbrian root meaning "white". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Sicily.

From a medieval form of any of the Old English names Ælfwine, Æðelwine or Ealdwine. It was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the Old English names. As a Scandinavian name it is derived from Alfvin, an Old Norse cognate of Ælfwine.

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.

Variant of Amyas.

Variant of Amora (perhaps based on French amour).

Variant of Annabel.

Romanian form of Andrew, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Андрей or Belarusian Андрэй (see Andrey).

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.

Means "soul, spirit" in Latin. In Jungian psychology the anima is an individual's true inner self, or soul.

Combination of Anna and Lise.

Latinized form of Ἄνουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian jnpw (reconstructed as Anapa and other forms), which coincided with a word meaning "royal child, prince". However, it might alternatively be derived from the root jnp meaning "to decay". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. The Greeks equated him with their god Hermes.

From Japanese 葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of 碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.

Greek form of Egyptian ḥjpw (reconstructed as Hapi), which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology he was a sacred bull, sometimes considered a son of Hathor. He was later fused with Osiris resulting in the figure of Serapis.

From the English word for the fruit, derived from Middle English appel, Old English æppel. The American actress Gwenyth Paltrow and British musician Chris Martin gave this name to their daughter in 2004.

Latinized form of Arkadios.

Diminutive of Archibald and other names beginning with the syllable Arch-.

From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".

Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

From an Italian surname meaning "son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).

Scottish Gaelic form of Arthur.

Either a Scandinavian form of Arwin (see Erwin) or a combination of the Old Norse name elements ari "eagle" and vinr "friend".

Means "noble maiden" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Arwen was the daughter of Elrond and the lover of Aragorn.

German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.

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

Late Latin name that was derived from aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.

Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.

From the Norman French form of the Germanic name Avelina, a diminutive of Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century [1].

From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour" combined with 花 (ka) or 華 (ka) both meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design" or 絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.

Alternate transcription of Kazakh Айзере (see Aizere).

From an English occupational surname derived from Old English bakere meaning "baker".

From a surname probably meaning "quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.

From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname Beiler, derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".

From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning "stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.

Diminutive of Giuseppe.

Means "white top" from the Welsh elements barr "top, head" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a mountain range in Wales.

Transferred use of the surname Biden.

From a nickname that was based on the English word biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".

An animated dog being the title hero in the movie 'Bolt' (2008). The name comes from a lightning bolt mark on his side.

From an English surname that was either derived from Old French bon meaning "good" or from the name of the town of Bohon, France.

From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".

From a Scottish surname that was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute (Bód in Gaelic).

Variant of Braden.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Welsh brith, braith meaning "speckled".

From the English word "breeze" referring to "a light, gentle wind". From the Dutch bries 'breeze', from the Eastern Frisian brîse 'breeze', from brisen 'to blow fresh and strong'.

From a surname that was derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg meaning "bridge".

Variant of Brian.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "birch wood" in Old Norse.

Variant of Brody.

Limburgish form of Bruno.

Variant of Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).

From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.

From an English surname that was derived from Old English burg meaning "fortress".

Sometimes explained as deriving from the Irish surname Caden, which is an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Cadáin, itself from the given name Cadán (of unknown meaning). In actuality, the popularity of this name in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound — it shares its fashionable den suffix sound with other trendy names like Hayden, Aidan and Braden.

From a Roman cognomen that possibly meant "hairy", from Latin caesaries "hair". Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.

Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin caesius meaning "blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.

From the Hebrew name קָיִן (Qayin) possibly meaning "acquired", from the root קָנָה (qana) meaning "to acquire, to purchase". In Genesis in the Old Testament Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve. He killed his brother Abel after God accepted Abel's offering of meat instead of his offering of plant-based foods. After this Cain was banished to be a wanderer.

Roman variant of Gaius.

From Irish caol meaning "slender" combined with the diminutive suffix -án.

Latin form of Charles.

From an English surname that meant "wood carver".

From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).

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

Feminine form of Cassius.

From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftsiʾel), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include "leap of God", "drawn together by God" or "wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.

Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.

Taken from the name of the flower, whose name is derived from Greek κηλος (kelos) "burned".

Means "cherry" in French.

Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".

Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin cerasium, Greek κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

A literary place name. There is a famous old poem called "The Ballad of Chevy Chase". A chase is a parcel of hunting land, and Chevy refers to the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border.

Comedian Chevy Chase took his name from this poem, which is mentioned in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.

Diminutive of Francisco.

Derived from Greek χλωρός (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.

Representing the residue of combustion; ashes.

Possibly derived from Welsh caled "rough, hard" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a small river (Cledwen) in Conwy, Wales.

English form of Clémentine.

Latinized form of Κλέων (Kleon), a Greek name derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory".

From an English surname derived from Old English clif meaning "cliff", originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.

From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series The Fall Guy [1].

Irish form of Columba. The Old Irish word columb or colum also means "dove", derived from Latin columba.

From a French surname that was derived from corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-) [1].

Form of Criseida used by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his 14th-century epic poem Troilus and Criseyde.

French cognate of Cruz, possibly taken from the name of St. Croix, the largest of the Virgin Islands (which was originally Santa Cruz, "Holy Cross" in Spanish, the name given by Columbus).

Variant of Quinn, taken from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Cuinn (in which it is the genitive form of Conn).

Variant of Syler.

Possibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He based his character upon a real person, the French satirist Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655).

From Japanese 大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with 地 (chi) meaning "earth, land" or 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Means "fruitful, fertile" in Irish. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief Dáire mac Fiachna who reneged on his promise to loan the Brown Bull of Cooley to Medb, starting the war between Connacht and Ulster as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Diminutive of Daniel.

Means "of oak" in Irish, from the genitive case of dair.

Variant of Darren. This was the adopted surname of the singer Bobby Darin (1936-1973), who was born Robert Cassotto and chose his stage name from a street sign.

Derived from the Latin word decem, meaning "ten". December is the twelfth month on the Gregorian calendar. This name is used regularly in America, mostly on females.

From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.

It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 20th century, influenced by two plays featuring the character: William Butler Yeats' Deirdre (1907) and J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910).

From a surname: either the English surname Delaney 1 or the Irish surname Delaney 2.

From Welsh del "pretty" combined with gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used as a given name since the start of the 20th century.

From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).

From the English word for the US currency.

From early Flemish or Low German daler, from German T(h)aler, short for Joachimsthaler, a coin from the silver mine of Joachimsthal (‘Joachim's valley’), now Jáchymov in the Czech Republic. The term was later applied to a coin used in the Spanish-American colonies, which was also widely used in the British North American colonies at the time of the American War of Independence, hence adopted as the name of the US monetary unit in the late 18th century.

Short form of Dominic.

Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.

Anglicized form of Donnchadh (see Duncan).

Derived from Greek δορκάς (dorkas) meaning "gazelle". This is the Greek translation of the name Tabitha in the New Testament (see Acts 9:36). At present it is most commonly used in English-speaking Africa.

Originally a short form of names beginning with the Slavic element dorgŭ (South Slavic drag) meaning "precious".

Variant of Driscoll.

Diminutive of Drust. This name was borne by a 7th-century Irish saint who was active among the Picts in Scotland.

From Old Irish Dubán meaning "little dark one", derived from dub "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.

Means "sweet" or "candy" in Spanish.

Anglicized form of Aoibheann.

From Hebrew אָדֹם (ʾaḏom) meaning "red" [2]. According to the Old Testament, Esau, who is described as having red skin, was given this name because he traded his birthright for a helping of red broth. The bible goes on to tell that Esau was the founder of the ancient nation of Edom, located to the south of the kingdom of Judah.

Short form of names beginning with Ev, such as Eva or Evert.

Scottish Gaelic form of Aveline.

Perhaps means "white brow", derived from Welsh ael "brow" and gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.

Scottish Gaelic form of Emer.

Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh [1].

Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.

Masculine form of Eirwen.

Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.

From an English surname that was derived from Ealdræd.

Latinized form of Greek Ἠλέκτρα (Elektra), derived from ἤλεκτρον (elektron) meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and the sister of Orestes. She helped her brother kill their mother and her lover Aegisthus in vengeance for Agamemnon's murder. Also in Greek mythology, this name was borne by one of the Pleiades, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.

Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.

Italian form of Aelius or Helios.

Catalan form of Elmo, as well as a short form of Elmer. The name may also be taken directly from the English word elm, a type of tree.

A variant of Eligius showing contamination from the name Eulogius.

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

Altered form of Leroy, using the Spanish definite article el as opposed to the French le.

Italian form of Helvius.

Variant of Alvin.

From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.

Germanic name, in which the second element is rih "ruler, king". The first element may be irmin "whole, great" (making it a relative of Ermenrich), amal "unceasing, vigorous, brave" (making it a relative of Amalric) or heim "home" (making it a relative of Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.

Means "rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.

From an Irish surname that was derived from inis meaning "island".

Scottish Gaelic form of Iohannes (see John) used in the Bible.

Possibly a transferred use of the name of Lake Erie or of the famous Erie Canal. In rare use in the US from the late 1800s to the 1910s and again briefly in the 1960s and 1970s.

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

The name of the German writer and comedian Ett Clyse.

Derived from Welsh aur meaning "gold" combined with a diminutive suffix.

Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.

This is also an alternate transcription of Russian Ева (see Yeva).

Dutch and Swedish form of Everard.

From a biblical place name, also called עַבְדּוֹן (ʿAvdon) meaning "servile", for which it may be a clerical error.

Anglicized form of Eòghann.

From Chinese 芳 (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.

From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).

The 2nd month of the year.
The name February comes from the Latin term "februum", meaning "purification". A purification ritual called Februa was held on February 15 in the Roman calendar.

Transferred use of the surname Ferrari. Ferrari is also the name of a company manufacturing luxury sports cars and Formula One racing cars.

A notable name bearer is a writer, editor, cultural critic, and artist 'Ferrari Sheppard', who was given the name 'Ferrari Elite Sheppard'.

Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.

Anglicized form of Irish Fionnbharr, Old Irish Finnbarr, derived from finn "white, blessed" and barr "top, head". Saint Finbar of Cork was a 6th-century bishop who supposedly performed miraculous cures. The Isle of Barra off Scotland was (probably) named for him.

Anglicized form of Fionnlagh.

Means "white stranger", derived from the Old Irish elements finn "white, blessed" and gall "foreigner, stranger". This was the name of the hero in the Scottish author James Macpherson's 1761 poem Fingal [1], which he claimed to have based on early Gaelic legends about Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Variant of Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.

Variant of Finbar.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Fionnagáin, itself derived from the given name Fionnagán, a diminutive of Fionn. This is the surname of a relatively minor character in James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called Finnegan's Wake.

From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.

Short form of various given names that are derived from surnames beginning with Norman French fitz meaning "son of" (for example Fitzroy).

Means "blood red" in Irish. This was the name of a 9th-century high king of Ireland.

Diminutive of Flann. This was the name of a 7th-century saint.

From the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.

French form of Flavian.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).

German form of Franciscus (see Francis). This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the Austrian-Czech author Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose works include The Trial and The Castle. It was also the name of rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire.

From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.

From earlier Galaad, likely derived from the Old French form of the biblical place name Gilead. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the 13th-century French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).

Meaning uncertain, from the Latin form Gualguainus used in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth (appearing also as Walganus, Gwalguanus and other spellings in different copies of the text), where he is one of the knights who serve his uncle King Arthur. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmai, and it is possible that the name derives from Gwalchmai or a misreading of it.

Gawain was a popular hero in medieval tales such as those by Chrétien de Troyes, where his name appears in the French form Gauvain or Gauvains. He is the main character of the 14th-century anonymous poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in which he accepts a potentially fatal challenge from the mysterious Green Knight.

From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".

From the Old German name Gundahar, derived from the elements gunda "war" and heri "army" (making it a cognate of Gunnar). This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century Burgundian king. He appears in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied, which has him wooing the Icelandic queen Brunhild. He wins her hand in marriage with the help of the hero Siegfried. He ultimately betrays Siegfried, but Siegfried's widow Kriemhild (Gunther's sister) takes her revenge upon him.

This was also the name of an 11th-century saint who was a hermit in Bavaria and Bohemia.

Probably means "born of trees" from Old Welsh guid "trees" and the suffix gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi [1], Gwydion is the nephew of King Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife, Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the Book of Taliesin.

From a surname that was derived from Old English heall "manor, hall", originally belonging to a person who lived or worked in a manor.

Anglicized form of the Danish name Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the main character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales. In the play, Hamlet is a prince of Denmark seeking to avenge the death of his father (also named Hamlet) at the hands of his uncle Claudius.

German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.

Reconstructed Egyptian form of Apis.

Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.

From Japanese 遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.

From Japanese 隼 (haya) meaning "falcon" (using a nanori reading) and 人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also make up this name.

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

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

Short form of names beginning with Hil. It also means "cloudberry" in Finnish.

From the name of geographic places called Holland 1, or transferred usage of the surname Holland 1.

Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.

Transferred use of the surname Hooper.

Elaboration of Ida.

Meaning unknown, from Igerna, the Latinized form of Welsh Eigyr. In Arthurian legend she is the mother of King Arthur by Uther Pendragon and the mother of Morgan le Fay by Gorlois. The Welsh form Eigyr or Eigr was rendered into Latin as Igerna by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth.

From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

Variant of Ireland using the popular name suffix lyn.

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

The origins of this name are uncertain, though some Celtic roots have been suggested. It is possible that the name is ultimately Germanic, from a hypothetical name like *Ishild, composed of the elements is "ice" and hilt "battle".

According to tales first recorded in Old French in the 12th century, Yseut or Ysolt was an Irish princess betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall. After accidentally drinking a love potion, she became the lover of his nephew Tristan. Their tragic story, which was set in the Arthurian world, was popular during the Middle Ages and the name became relatively common in England at that time. It was rare by the 19th century, though some interest was generated by Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde (1865).

Latinate form of Iseult.

Short form of Jason, sometimes used independently. It was brought to limited attention in America by the lead character in the western television series Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955-1958). Towards the end of the 20th century it began steadily increasing in popularity, reaching the 66th spot for boys in the United States in 2013.

Variant of Jay 1.

Variant of Jay 1. In some cases it is pronounced to rhyme with names such as Kai or Ty.

From the name of the month, which was named for the Roman god Janus. This name briefly charted on the American top 1000 list for girls after it was borne by the protagonist of Jacqueline Susann's novel Once Is Not Enough (1973).

Means "maple tree" in South Slavic.

Variant of Jace.

Variant of Gerald.

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.

From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.

From Japanese 淳 (jun) meaning "pure", 潤 (jun) meaning "moisture", 純 (jun) meaning "pure, clean, simple", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

From Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

From the name of Hawaiian feathered regalia used to symbolize the ali'i (nobility). It also coincides with the Hawaiian name of several plants, such as the crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), the kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerarium), and the red silky oak (Grevillea banksii). Like most pre-contact Hawaiian names, it is a unisex name, appearing on both men and women in 19th-century marriage records.

This name was used in Pokemon Sun and Moon as the name of a female Flying-type Elite Four member, in which case it is also derived from the name of a golf course located in Maui, Hawaii (fittingly enough, the character is a golfer).

Means "the heavens" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Means "servant of Kali" from the name of the Hindu goddess Kali 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". Kalidasa (or Kālidāsa) was a 4th-century Indian poet and dramatist, the author of the Abhijnanashakuntalam and other works.

From Japanese 完 (kan) meaning "perfect, completion, end", 寛 (kan) meaning "tolerant, leniency, generosity, relax, feel at home, be at ease, broadminded", 幹 (kan) meaning "tree trunk, main part, talent, capability", 貫 (kan) meaning "pierce, penetrate, brace", 栞 (kan) meaning "bookmark" or 煥 (kan) meaning "shine" combined with 人 (to) meaning "person", 途 (to) meaning "route, way, road" or 図 (to) meaning "map, drawing, plan, extraordinary, audacious". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From the Welsh name Cai or Cei, possibly a form of the Roman name Gaius. Sir Kay was one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He first appears in Welsh tales as a brave companion of Arthur. In later medieval tales, notably those by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, he is portrayed as an unrefined boor.

Short form of Kazimieras, Kazimir, and other names beginning with Kaz.

From Hebrew כְּלִיל (kelil) meaning "crown, wreath, garland" or "complete, perfect".

Variant of Kellen. This particular spelling jumped in popularity after actor Kellan Lutz (1985-) appeared in the Twilight series of movies beginning 2008.

From Japanese 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or 研 (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with 二 (ji) meaning "two". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Diminutive of Kristina.

Diminutive of Keziah. This particular spelling was repopularized in the late 1970s by a character in the book and miniseries Roots (1977).

Variant of Cobalt

A antagonistic figure from traditional Russian fairy tales. Known as “Koschei the Deathless”, he is portrayed as an evil and powerful wizard who cannot be killed by traditional means since his soul is hidden inside an object, often an egg nested inside other protective objects.

Variant of Christian.

Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 協 or 京 or 郷 or 杏 (see Kyō).

Possibly an Old French diminutive of Lanzo (see Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of Arthur's wife Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in Erec and Enide and then as a main character in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.

Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.

Diminutive of Relief.

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".

Respelling of Linnaea influenced by the English pronunciation of Renée.

Variant of Lennox.

Means "lion" in Russian and Ukrainian, functioning as a vernacular form of Leo. This was the real Russian name of both author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) and revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940). This is also the name of the main character, Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, in the novel The Idiot (1868) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Short form of Alexandra or Alexa.

From lightning (n.) visible discharge of energy between cloud and cloud or cloud and ground, late Old English, "lightning, flash of lightning," verbal noun from lightnen "make bright," or else an extended form of Old English lihting, from leht.

Latinate form of Lillian.

Means "soft, tender" in Arabic, derived from لان (lāna) meaning "to be soft". It can also be from Arabic لينة (līna), a type of palm tree, likely derived from the same root.

Variant of Lynet.

Variant of Lyonesse.

Dialectal short form of Elochius found in an inscription on the altar of the St.-Ludwig chapel at Gehweiler (Wadern, Germany).

Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.

Short form of Alonzo and other names containing the same sound.

From the Roman cognomen Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.

Italian form of Ludwig.

From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.

Form of Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain.

German diminutive of Ludwig.

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").

Lyris is occasionally listed among the Oceanids of Greek mythology. As such, the name first appears in Hyginus's Fabulae.
However, said text is corrupted in places, meaning that some of the names are only partially legible. Lyris is such a name and thus usually rendered as *lyris (with the * representing an unknown name element).

Form of Maiwenn using French orthography.

Fijian and Tongan form of Malachi, as well as a modern English variant.

Short form of Malvina. It may be partly inspired by Latin, Swedish and Finnish malva "mallow, hollyhock (flower)".

Means "servant of Jesus" in Scottish Gaelic.

Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Marcus (see Mark).

From the name of the month, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars.

Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.

Diminutive of Martin, Martina or Martha.

Combination of May and the suffix lene.

From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

Meaning unknown, possibly an invented name. This name was popularized by the American actor Mekhi Phifer (1974-).

Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶךְ (meleḵ) meaning "king" and אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "light". This was a name 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. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.

Derived from Latin melior meaning "better".

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].

Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.

From the name of a Finnish village (now a part of the municipality of Hattula).

Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 穂 (ho) meaning "grain" or 保 (ho) meaning "protect, maintain". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Derived from Greek μίλτος (miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.

From Japanese 実 (minoru) meaning "to bear fruit", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Short form of Miroslava and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").

Variant of Mitsuki.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or 夕 (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

Means "servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor Haman.

Feminine form of Morgan 1.

From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.

Medieval form of Moses.

From the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning "moss town".

Anglicized form of Muireadhach.

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].

French diminutive of Nadia 1.

From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.

Short form of Vanessa and other names ending in nessa.

In Germany and the Netherlands, this name is a medieval short form of respectively Nicolaus and Nicolaas. In the case of the latter, it is via the medieval short form Nicol 1, of which Nickel is a variant.

In English-speaking countries, there are a few more possibilities for the origin and etymology of this name. There, it can be: a short form of Nicholas, a pet form of Nicholas' short form Nick and an anglicisation of the Scottish name Nichol. Very rarily will this name have been inspired by the coin or the metal, in which case nickel is ultimately derived from German nickel meaning "goblin, devil."

The name Nickel is still in use in the English-speaking world, Germany and the Netherlands to this day, albeit (very) rarely.

Medieval English and Scottish form of Nicholas. This was the middle name of a character in the novel Rob Roy (1817) by Walter Scott.

Meaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

From the name of a 5th-century British saint, known as the Apostle to the Picts, who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He first appears briefly in the 8th-century Latin writings of the historian Bede, though his name is only written in the ablative case Nynia [1]. This may represent a Brythonic name *Ninniau [2][3].

Anglicized form of Naomhán.

This is the name of masculine shapeshifting water spirits in Germanic mythology, who apparently derive their name from Proto-Germanic nikwus or nikwis(i) "wash". See also Nixe for the female counterpart(s).

Medieval diminutive of Oliver.

From the English word "north" referring to the direction north, or "up, above".

American socialite, Kim Kardashian, and American rapper and singer-songwriter, Kanye West, named their daughter North.

From the Latin word novem, meaning "nine". November was the ninth month of the Roman calendar before January and February were added around 713 BC. It is now the eleventh month of the year.

This is the name of one of the main adult female characters in Catherynne M. Valente's adult fantasy novel "Palimpsest" (2009). In the novel November remembers having read a book called "The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making" when she was a child, and the heroine of that book was called September. Valente later wrote that book as a crowd-funded work. It became the first volume in her bestselling "Fairyland" series.

From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.

Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד (ʿavaḏ) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.

From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.

From Old Irish Odrán, derived from odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a saint who travelled with Saint Columba through Scotland.

Anglicized form of Odhrán.

Ukrainian form of Xenia.

Short form of Oliver.

French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".

Means "white footprint" from Welsh ol "footprint, track" and gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.

Variant of Olwen.

Possibly means "servant" in Hebrew (or a related Semitic language), from the root עָמַר (ʿamar) meaning "to bind" [2]. This was the name of a 9th-century BC military commander who became king of Israel. He appears in the Old Testament, where he is denounced as being wicked.

From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".

Anglicized form of Odhrán.

Italian form of Aurea.

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

French form of Oriana.

From a Catalan surname meaning "golden". It has been used in honour of Saint Joseph Oriol (1650-1702).

Anglicized form of Órlaith.

Means "golden ruler", from Old Irish ór "gold" combined with flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This name was borne by several medieval Irish royals, including a sister of the king Brian Boru.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.

Anglicized form of Odharnait.

Anglicized form of Odhrán.

From Japanese 修 (osa) meaning "discipline, study" combined with 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

From the name of the capital city of Norway (see Oslo). It was used for a character in the 2017 television series Money Heist (original Spanish title La casa de papel), about a team of nine robbers who adopt city names as pseudonyms for anonymity.

Short form of Oswald, Osborn and other names beginning with a similar sound.

Spanish feminine form of the Late Latin name Pacificus meaning "peacemaker".

From a Scots surname, originally from the name of a town near Glasgow, maybe ultimately derived from Latin basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.

Means "gold" in Hebrew.

Scottish Gaelic form of Peggy.

Form of Pellehan used by Thomas Malory in his 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur.

Possibly from Welsh Beli Hen meaning "Beli the Old". This was the name of a keeper of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend, the father of Pelles and Pellinore.

Possibly from Welsh Beli Mawr meaning "Beli the Great". In Arthurian romance this was the name of a king of Listenois, a son of Pellehan who pursued the elusive Questing Beast and later joined Arthur's court. He first appears in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

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.

From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.

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 the name of the German car company, which was founded by Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951).

Feminine form of Priscus, a Roman family name meaning "ancient" in Latin. This name appears in the epistles in the New Testament, referring to Priscilla the wife of Aquila.

Derived from Greek προμήθεια (prometheia) meaning "foresight, forethought". In Greek myth he was the Titan who gave the knowledge of fire to mankind. For doing this he was punished by Zeus, who had him chained to a rock and caused an eagle to feast daily on his liver, which regenerated itself each night. Herakles eventually freed him.

Transferred use of the surname Pryor.

Feminine of Pyrrhos.

In Greek mythology, Pyrrha and her husband, Deucalion, built an arc to survive a great flood created by Zeus. When they reached land, they threw rocks over their shoulders, and the rocks became men and women.

Greek form of Pyrrhus.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).

From a surname, a variant of Radcliff.

Variant of Ralph. This form became common during the 17th century, reflecting the usual pronunciation.

From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".

From Japanese 雷 (rai) meaning "thunder" and 電 (den) meaning "lightning". This is a regional epithet of the Japanese god Raijin.

Means "servant of Rama" from the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". This name was borne by a 17th-century Hindu holy man from Maharashtra.

Possibly used in reference to the word ransom, meaning money paid or delivered in exchange for the release of something or someone.

Used most often in the 19th-century it has since fallen out of use. Notable bearers include L.A. city council member Ransom M. Callicott, writer Ransom Riggs, automobile businessman Ransom E. Olds (for whom Oldsmobile was named), and University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Ransom Asa Moore.

The name has also been used for numerous fictional characters, from books such as C.S. Lewis' 'Out of the Silent Planet' and films such as 'Knives Out'.

Variant of Red.

Directly from the Latin word remedium meaning "remedy, cure; aid", used as a given name according to the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).

From the English word reverence meaning "deep respect".

Variant of Riston

From the English vocabulary word denoting a continuous elevated mountain crest, or from the English surname derived from the word.

Short form of names ending in -rielle.

Transferred use of the surname Riggs.

From Japanese 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic", 梨 (ri) meaning "pear", 里 (ri) meaning "village", or 利 (ri) meaning "profit, benefit" and 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance", 花 or 華 (ka) both meaning "flower", 佳 (ka) meaning "good, beautiful", 加 (ka) meaning "increase", or 化 (ka) meaning "to change, to influence". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Modern form of the Old Norse name Hróðvaldr or Hróaldr, composed of the elements hróðr "praise, fame" and valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.

From Breton rog (“haughty”) or Middle French rogue (“arrogant, haughty”), from Old Northern French rogre, Old Norse hrokr (“excess, exuberance”).

From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and lant meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally nand meaning "brave" [1].

Roland was an 8th-century military commander, serving under Charlemagne, who was killed by the Basques at the Battle of Roncevaux. His name was recorded in Latin as Hruodlandus. His tale was greatly embellished in the 11th-century French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which he is a nephew of Charlemagne killed after being ambushed by the Saracens. The Normans introduced the name to England.

From the Old German name Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate Hrólfr), a contracted form of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.

Latinized form of Roul, the Old French form of Rolf. Rollo (or Rolf) the Ganger was an exiled Viking who, in the 10th century, became the first Duke of Normandy. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "horse spring".

Diminutive of Robin.

A nickname with synonyms such as boisterous or rambunctious. Notable namesake is US Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines.

Variant of Rowan.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "rye hill" from Old English ryge "rye" and hyll "hill".

From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning "town of Royse". The given name Royse was a medieval variant of Rose.

Irish and Scottish Gaelic byname meaning "red", often a nickname for one with red hair. This was the nickname of the Scottish outlaw Raibeart Ruadh MacGregor (1671-1734), known as Rob Roy in English.

Old Irish form of Ruaidhrí.

Scottish Gaelic form of Ruaidhrí.

From Old Irish Ruarcc. It was possibly an early borrowing from the Old Norse name Hrǿríkr. Alternatively it might be derived from Old Irish elements such as rúad "red" and arg "hero, champion". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Leinster.

From Japanese kanji 幸 (sachi) meaning "happiness; good luck".

From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English sæterdæġ, meaning "Saturn's day".

Scots diminutive of Alexander.

This is a Japanese name which refers to a scabbard or sheath for a sword. Beyond being a simple noun, Saya connotes peace because of the image of a sword that remains in its scabbard.
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From 沙 (sa) "sand" and 耶 (ya), a kanji used exclusively in names meaning "question mark."

From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).

Variant of Seferina.

Variant of Celina or Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.

Scottish Gaelic form of Jack.

Scottish Gaelic form of Janet.

Scottish Gaelic form of George.

From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.

Russian and Bulgarian form of Sergius.

Scottish Gaelic form of James.

Variant of Skenandoa, or from the name of the Shenandoah River (names that may or may not be connected). The traditional American folk song Oh Shenandoah may refer to the Oneida chief Skenandoa or to the river; it is unclear.

From Japanese 四 (shi) meaning "four" and 郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fourth son. Other kanji combinations are possible.

Probably an Anglicized form of Gaelic sìoltaich meaning "sower, propagator". It has occasionally been used in the Douglas family since the 17th century, after David Hume of Godscroft claimed it was the name of the 7th-century founder of the clan [1].

Variant of Shawn.

Feminine form of Sidonius. This is the name of a legendary saint from Georgia. She and her father Abiathar were supposedly converted by Saint Nino from Judaism to Christianity.

Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and fridu "peace". Siegfried was a hero from German legend, the chief character in the Nibelungenlied. He secretly helped the Burgundian king Gunther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen Brunhild so that Gunther might win her hand. In exchange, Gunther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brunhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by Hagen with Gunther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. He is a parallel to the Norse hero Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera The Ring of the Nibelung (1876).

Short form of Skipper.

Short form of Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.

The name of Smokey Bear, from the fire prevention campaigns.

Variant of Smokey. A famous bearer of this form is Major League Baseball pitcher, Smoky Joe Wood (1889–1985).

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

Means "gold" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarṇa) meaning literally "good colour".

From Japanese 空 (sora) or 昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.

Anglicized form of Somhairle.

Short form of Stanley. A famous bearer was British comedian Stan Laurel (1890-1965).

Scots diminutive of Stephen.

From a surname that was a variant Stuart.

Diminutive of Sullivan and other names with a similar sound.

From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Transferred use of the surname Syler.

From Chinese 太 (tài) meaning "very, extreme" or other characters pronounced in a similar way.

From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband" or 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.