Anglicised version of the Greek name Alexandros.
Alexander appears in the Bible as the one who helps Jesus bear the cross on the journey to Calvary.
Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedon king. Greece was unified by his
Greek root of names such as Andrew and André, the short form of names beginning with 'andr-' such as Androkles and Andronikos.
The San Andreas Fault is a geological transform fault in California that marks the boundary between the North Ame
Andrew was a disciple of Jesus and of John the Baptist, who it is said was martyred by being crucified on a cross in the shape of an "X". He became a saint. This symbol is now referred to as Saint Andrew's cross. Andrew was the brother of Peter.
Benjamin is the anglicized form of the Hebrew Binyamin. In the Old Testament, Benjamin was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob. Benjamin was the 24th most popular boy's name in the US in 2006, and the 11th most popular in the UK. It is also commonly fou
In the Old Testament, Caleb and Joshua were among the Israelites who left Egypt for Canaan with Moses. They were the only two who lived to see the promised land. Caleb is sometimes translated as "faithful" or "loyal," probably because a dog displays the
Originally a French surname; based on the Picard dialect form of the word 'chauve' meaning 'bald'.
John Calvin was a church reformer of the 16th century, after whom the Christian group Calvinism is named. Calvinists believe in predestinati
From the Greek 'christos' (the annointed one, Christ) and 'phero' (I carry). Christopher is the patron saint of travellers and, according to the legend, Christopher carried the young Jesus across a river. Another famous bearer of the name is the explorer
In the Old Testament, Daniel was a Hebrew prophet and the Book of Daniel contains prophecies concerning the future. Daniel was among the Jews who were taken captive in Babylon. He rose to a high position in the Babylonian government by interpreting the ki
St Denis was the martyr bishop of Paris in the 3rd century. He is usually depicted as headless, as he was beheaded.
'Dennis the Menace' is the name of two comic strips. In America, it refers to the strip started by Hank Ketcham, with Dennis being a blond-haired mischievous five year old. In Britain, it refers to the strip in the 'Beano' comic, with Dennis being a spiky
Elijah was a Hebrew prophet who appeared mysteriously during the 9th century B.C.E. and left this earth in a blazing chariot ascending into the heavens. He appears in the Bible in 1 and 2 Kings, and is seen with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus.<
Latinate form of the Hebrew name Immanuel through the Greek cognate Emmmanouel.
The prophet Isaiah envisioned the name of the Messiah as being Immanuel in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, it is another name for Jesus Christ.
Ethan means strong and optimistic, solid and enduring, or permanent. The name Ethan appears eight times in the Hebrew Bible. Ethan the Ezrahite, is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It may be that Ethan was a cymbal-player in King David's court. He authored
St. Gregory is the patron saint of singers and students. He was the first pope named Gregory.
The Gregorian Calendar was named after Pope Gregory XIII, who devised it.
Famous Gregorys include actor Gregory Peck, and characte
Biblically, Hezekiah was a good King of Judah.
From the Hebrew Yitzchak, meaning "he will laugh". In the Old Testament, Isaac is the son of Abraham and Sarah, the husband of Rebecca and the father of Jacob and Esau. Sarah could not bear children and was already very aged at the time of his conception.
Isaiah was a Jewish prophet in the Bible, the book of Isaiah was written by him. However, there is a curious jump in events and tone at Isaiah 40, which has led some scholars to believe that the two halves of the book were written by different authors. Th
This is a late Roman version of Isaiah. Found in some versions of the Bible it is also the name of a saint.
In the Old Testament, Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, the twin brother of Esau and the father of twelve sons and a daughter. From his sons came the twelve tribes of Israel - the Israelites. God later changed Jacob's name to Israel.
O
In the Old Testament, Jair was the father of one of King David's warriors.
There are many saints called James, the most famous being Saint James the Elder, one of the Apostles. As a common name it has many namesakes, such as the author James Joyce or the fictional British spy James Bond ("007"). The name has been used for royalt
In the Bible, Yared is the grandfather of Methuselah. Jared may also be taken as a variant of Yered, one of the names applied to Moses.
Actor and musician Jared Leto is a famous bearer.
Captain Jared Bilby is a main charac
Biblically, Jeremiah was a prophet. He prophesied the besieging and taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon but was ignored by the princes of Jerusalem. His writings are found in the book of Jeremiah and, according to tradition, he wrote the book
Spelt Joël in French.
Joel was a prophet in the Old Testament.
Famous bearers include film directors Joel Schumacher and Joel Coen, and singer Joel Madden.
It was the 124th most popular name in USA in 2006. It
John was the name of two characters in the New Testament.
John is the personal name of four US Presidents: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler, and John F. Kennedy.
In the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of King Saul and the best friend of the future king David. Jonathan was a courageous defender of Israel and was killed in battle against the Philistines.
There are several Josephs in the Bible, including the husband of Mary in the New Testament and Joseph, son of Jacob - nowadays known for his many coloured coat. Joseph of Arimathea donated his own tomb for the burial of Jesus.
Joseph was th
In the Old Testament, Joshua was appointed by God to lead the Israelites after Moses' death. The Greek form of Joshua is Jesus.
Joshua was the 3rd most popular boy's name in the US in 2006, and 4th most popular in the UK.
Fam
Josiah is the name of the 16th king of Judah. The book of Deuteronomy was rediscovered during his time as king.
Josiah Wedgwood was an 18th century potter, who helped industrialize the pottery industry.
This name was taken from the Latin noun 'leo', meaning 'lion' (itself from the Greek 'leon'). Leo is slowly climbing in popularity - it reached the 236th spot in the US charts in 2006. Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair used it for his son in 2000, a hi
Levi is a Hebrew name used in the Old Testament of the Bible. Levi was the name of one of the sons of Jacob. His descendants, the Levites, were the priests of Israel.
It is also the name of a popular brand of jeans, Levi-Strauss.
St Luke was the author of the Biblical books of Luke and of the Acts of the Apostles. He is traditionally seen as being a physician or a doctor.
Luke was ranked as the 17th most popular boy's name in the UK in 2006, but was rated 43rd in t
A Roman praenomen (given name) and cognomen (third name). Marcellus is a pet form of Marcus, etymologically related to the Roman god Mars. The name was borne by two popes.
A Roman praenomen (given name) with Etruscan origins; the original Latin form of Mark.
Marcus was probably derived from the name of the Roman god of war Mars, or the adjective 'mas' meaning "male, virile". Hence the meaning "from Mars", "from the g
English form of Marcus.
Saint Mark the Evangelist is traditionally believed to be the author of the second Gospel (Gospel of Mark) and a companion of Peter.
A famous Roman bearer of the name was Mark Antony (Marcus Antonius), politi
Spanish form of Matthew.
Variant of Matthew.
Variant of Matthieu, French cognate of Matthew.
Finnish and Spanish form of Matthias.
Italian variant of Matthew.
New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew Mattathia.
Extended form of Micha, meaning "Who is like God?".
Michael is the name of several characters in the Old Testament. It is most famously that of one of the archangels, the one closest to God, who has the responsability of carrying out God's
In the Old Testament, Nathan is a prophet who served King David and his son, who was also called Nathan. Nathan is also used as a short form of Nathaniel or Jonathan.
In the Gospel of John in the Bible, Nathaniel is named as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is not mentioned in any of the other gospels, and so is normally associated with Bartholomew.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist,
Nehemiah is a character in the Bible. He organized the rebuilding of Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile. The Book of Nehemiah is a continuation of the works set out in the Book of Ezra.
In the Old Testament, Noah rounded up two of every species and built an ark in order to survive the great Flood. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights and everyone on earth died except Noah and his family. After the Flood God sent a rainbow as a sign of the
St Paul was an early Christian missionary. Originally a persecutor of Christians named Saul, who witnessed the stoning of Stephen, he was converted whilst on the road to Damascus, prompting a name change. Paul travelled throughout the Mediterranean teachi
St Peter was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, and became the first pope of the Church. Peter's original name was Simon, but it was changed by Jesus to the Aramaic name Cephas (rock). Peter is the Greek equivalent of Cephas.
The first R
Anglicised version of the Greek name Philippos.
St Philip was one of the twelve disciples.
Philip has long been used as a name in the ruling classes, from the Kings of Macedon (Philip II was the father of Alexander the Great
Raphael is traditionally one of the seven archangels. He is mentioned by name in the apocryphal book of Tobit.
Raphael is also the name used when referring to Renaissance Italian painter Raphael Santi or Sanzio. One of the Teenage Mutant N
In the Old Testament, Samuel was the son of Hannah, a prophet and a judge who anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. Samuel was the 25th most popular boy's name in the US in 2006 and the 8th most popular in the UK.
Biblically, Saul was the first king of Israel, as appointed by the prophet Samuel. He was replaced by David, who had fought against Goliath for him, but had later been his enemy as Saul did not want to give up the throne. Saul was also the name of the apo
In the Bible, Seth was the son of Adam and Eve, he was born after the murder of Abel by his twin brother Cain. Seth is noted as the son of Adam from whom Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and consequently David and Jesus are descended. Seth or Set was also an
Nickname for Shadrach. This is also the name of a type of fish.
Shiloh (variant transcription of Shilo) is a Biblical place name. It was a gathering place and sanctuary of the Hebrew at the time of the Judges, between Jericho and Sachem.
It is also used as a reference to the Messiah, although this is l
Silas was an early convert to Christianity, and a companion to St Paul, and later St Peter.
'Silas Marner' is a novel by George Eliot.
In 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown, Silas is a murderous monk.
Simon appears several times in the New Testament of the Bible. Simon was the original name of St Peter, one of the twelve apostles and first Bishop of Rome or Pope. Simon the Zealot is named as one of the apostles in the gospel of Luke. It was at Simon t
In the Bible Solomon is King David's son and successor. He is famous for his wisdom, wealth and writings. He was also said to possess the ability to communicate with animals.
Latin form of Lebbaeus, which is of uncertain origin but is possibly Aramaic (possibly meaning praised or heart) and a variant of the Greek Theodoros/Theodotos (God's gift).
In the New Testament Thaddeus is listed as one of the apostles, probably e
Theodore was a pre-Christian name borne by many learned men in ancient Greece, including the ironically-named Theodorus the Atheist. There have been various saints named Theodore, and two popes.
Theodore Roosevelt was President of the Uni
Thomas has been very popular in the UK for several years, staying at second place in 2007. In the US it ranked 51st. St Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is often known as 'doubting Thomas' as he requires proof of the resurrection of Jes
Rare variant of Timothy.
St Timothy was a companion of Paul, and the recipient of the two letters to Timothy, contained within the New Testament.
The name has been borne by James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, 'The Goodies' comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor and actor Timothy
A Roman praenomen (given name), possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour".
Romans bearing the name Titus include Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus, who reigned between the years 79 and 81, and Titus Livius - the historian who is m
Xavier comes from the Basque place name "Etcheberria," which means "the new house." Though traditionally a Roman Catholic name, Xavier has grown to be one of the top 100 boys names in the U.S.
St Francis Xavier was the founder of the Jesu
Zachary is an English form of the name Zechariah. It is in use as both a surname and a first name, though it is far more common as a first name. It is also the name of a town in the U.S. state of Louisiana.
Zachary Taylor was the twelfth
In the Old Testament, Zechariah was the 14th king of Israel after the monarchy split. Another bearer of the name was one of the 12 Minor prophets.
In the Greek Bible, Zechariah was the husband of Elizabeth and the father of John the Baptist.
Abigail was an Old Testament character who saved her negligent husband from the wrath of King David. After her husband's death, she later married David. David's sister was also named Abigail.
Abigail was quite commonly used in English-sp
English form of the Old French Aimée, in use in the United States since the 18th century. It should be noted that the spellings Ami, and Amie are not used in France because they are the words used to refer to a friend.
Amy is the name of
Angela is derived from the same origin as the vocabulary word 'Angel' - angels being the messengers of God.
Famous bearers include German Chancellor Angela Merkel (who pronounces her name with a hard 'g'), actress Angela Lansbury and Briti
A variant spelling of Angelica
Biblically, the village of Bethany was identified as being approximately 2 miles from Jerusalem, on the slope of the Mount of Olives. It was in Bethany that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and was anointed with expensive perfume by a woman. A religiou
Saint Christina the Astonishing was born in 1150. She had a near-death experience in which she claimed to have seen heaven, hell and purgatory.
Christina of Sweden was queen regnant of Sweden during the 17th century. She abdicated after con
Damaris appears in Acts 17.34 in the Bible.
Daniela Hantuchová is a Slovak tennis player. In the US, the name is particularly popular in California, where it was #60 in 2006. In Spain it was #19.
The feminine form of Daniel, Danielle rose to popularity in the US in the 1980s, when it was in the top 20. Author Danielle Steel is a famous bearer.
A derivation from María de los Dolores, "Mary of Sorrows."
From Elisabet, the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elisheva meaning "my God is a vow".
In the Old Testament, Elisheva is the wife of Aaron.
In the New Testament, the name is borne by a kinswoman of the Virgin Mary and mother of John the Bapti
From the Hebrew name Chava, which was derived from the Hebrew word Chai "life". In the Genesis, Eve was the first woman, wife of Adam and "the mother of all that lives". It is her role as a mother that is put forward in this name.
Eve is al
The English word "faith" ultimately derives from the Latin "fides," from which names like Fido are derived.
Faith Evans is an American R & B singer, and Faith Hill is a country singer. Faith is also the name of a British shoe shop, named af
Grace was the 17th most popular girl's name in the US in 2006, and the most popular (#1) name in the UK in 2007. It is also very popular as a middle name. To Christians, grace means free salvation from God. Grace is also the name of the prayer said before
In the Old Testament, Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel. She had been unable to bear her husband Elkanah a child, and so prayed at the temple that if God gave her a son then she would give him up to be a priest. When the child, Samuel, was born,
Although of disputed origin, Isabel is often taken as a form of Elizabeth. Isabel first gained popularity in Spain in the Middle Ages, and it was soon exported to France and England.
Isabel was the name of the Princess Imperial of Brazil
From the Latin and Greek form Ioanna. In the New Testament, the name is borne by a woman who was one of Jesus's followers.
Other famous Joannas include actress Joanna Lumley and author Joanna Trollope.
'Joanna' is cockney rh
In the Old Testament, Judith was the wife of Esau, who was a son of Isaac and Rebecca.
The Book of Judith is an Apocryphal book of the Bible, meaning that it is not always contained in Bibles as it's reliability and accuracy has been ques
Scottish vernacular form of Christine.
This name may also be taken from the Hebrew word meaning "wild cow" or "gazelle".
Biblically, Leah is the wife of Jacob and the older sister of Rachel. Jacob laboured for seven years for Leah's father Laban to win Rachel's hand. On his wed
Lydia is the name of a historic region of Asia Minor, that included Troy and Ephesus. Lydia is also the name of a purple goods seller, in the Bible. She is considered the first European convert to Christianity. She was living in Thyatira which was on the
Variant of Madeleine.
French cognate of Magdalene, also in common use in English-speaking countries.
A madeleine is a famous sort of French butter cookie or cake. Several French communes and geographical features are named Madeleine after Mary Magdalene.
Latinate form of Madgalene.
Hawaiian form of Mary.
Latin form of Mary.
It arose as a back-formation from the early Christian Greek name Mariam, which was taken as a Latin accusative case, and is ultimately derived from Hebrew Miryam.
In the English-speaking world, Maria was the writ
The pronunciation of our modern "Mariah" was actually a common pronunciation of the name "Maria" in nineteenth-century England. This alternate spelling has retained the nineteenth-century pronunciation. The "h" was probably added to appear more Biblical
Aramaic alternative form of the Hebrew name Miriam.
It is also the form of Mary used in the Greek translation of the Bible.
It was mistaken as a Latin accusative case and gave the well-known name Maria.
It can also be conside
Contraction of the name Marie-Anne, composed of the names Marie (of uncertain origin, perhaps meaning "bitter") and Anne ("grace").
Marianne is the name used for the symbolic figure representing the French Republic.
Spanish name composed from Maria and Isabel.
It may also stand as a variant of the name Mariabella and then mean "beautiful Maria".
Pet form of Marie.
Spanish name composed of Maria and Sol.
'Sol' is the Spanish word for sun. It might also be a short of Maria Soledad, 'soledad' meaning "loneliness".
Blend of Maria and Madgalene, used by the German actress Marlene Dietrich as her stage name.
Martha is a name of Aramaic origin, meaning "lady, mistress".
She was a figure in the New Testament. According to the gospel of John, she was the sister of Lazarus and Mary, and she witnessed her brother's resurrection.
The image of
Originally a Middle English Anglicized form of the French "Marie," derived from the Latin "Maria," and ultimately from the Hebrew name of uncertain origin "Miryam".
This is the New Testament form of Miriam, which St. Jerome derives from ele
Compound name formed of Mary and Ann.
Spanish name associated with the cult of the Virgin Mary, from the liturgical title "Maria de las Mercedes" (Mary of the Mercies; 'Our Lady of Ransom').
Latin 'mercedes' originally meant 'wages' or 'ransom'.
In Christian theology, Christ's
In the Old Testament, Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth.
The name is borne by supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Naomi Watts and journalist Naomi Klein.
It is noted by some playground-goers that "Naomi" spells "I moan" bac
The original form of the English name "Natalie," Natalia is derived from the Italian "natale," meaning "birthday." The term refers specifically to Christ's birthday - the Italian phrase for "merry Christmas" is "buon natale!", literally "good birthday!"
Natalie is the English form of Natalia, which is derived from the Italian "natale," meaning "birthday." The term refers specifically to Christ's birthday - the Italian phrase for "merry Christmas" is "buon natale!", literally "good birthday!"
Feminine form of Noël.
A spelling variant of Priscilla that has fallen into disuse.
Priscilla was an early convert to Christianity, she is mentioned in the book of Acts and some of Paul's letters.
Priscilla Wagner was the wife of Elvis Presley.
'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' was a film ab
Sometimes touted as meaning 'to tie/to bind' or 'heifer', this name is of doubtful meaning and probably has its roots in Aramaic. The Biblical Rebecca was the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament and the mother of Jacob and Esau.
This is al
This spelling is seen as a more faithful transliteration of the Hebrew. It is commonly used by the Jewish people of Poland.
Variant of Sarah. Sara may also be a Sanskrit male name [sah-ruh] meaning "the Essence."
Sara Lee is a food company that specialises in frozen and packaged foods. Sara Ramírez is an actress, and Sara Evans is a country singer-songwriter.
In the Old Testament, Sarah was the wife of Abraham, and the mother of Isaac.
Her name was first Sarai ("my princess"), which God changed to Sarah ("princess") as her descendants were to be the future nation of Israel.
Famous bearer
In the Old Testament, Sarai is the original first name of Sarah who changed it when she embraced faith in God.
Sarai is said to mean "my princess; my woman of high rank", maybe referring to her relationship with her husband, or perhaps as the princ
From the Greek form of the Hebrew name Shoshanah, traditionally translated as "lily" or occasionally as "rose".
In Christianity, several early Eastern saints bore the name Tatiana. "Tatiana" is also the name of a Russian ballet.
The exact meaning of Teresa is unknown, but it is likely to be from either the Greek word meaning "to harvest", the Greek word meaning "summer", or from the Greek island of Thera.
This is a very popular Catholic name.
St Tere
Tiffany is a traditional name used by Catholic parents for daughters born on January 6th. Tiffany & Co. is a luxury brand of jewelry and is the Tiffany referred to in the title of the 1961 Audrey Hepburn movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
Angel is used mostly as a masculine name among Spanish-speaking communities, and mostly as a feminine name in English-speaking communities. The Spanish name is pronounced "ahn HEL," while the English version is pronounced "AYN jel")
"Angel
Cain has four separate origins. From the Hebrew, it means 'a spear'. In Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition, Cain was the world's first murderer. In Welsh Cain is a feminine name meaning 'beautiful' or 'fair' (this usage is completely unrelated to the
A Christian is someone who follows the religion of Christianity, based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christian is the main character of John Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress', which is a Christian allegory.
Famous peopl
A male name in Hebrew, pronounced "eh LY shah." In the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet - the disciple and successor of Elijah.
In modern times Elisha ("eh LEE shah") has gained popularity as an alternate spelling of the feminine name A
In the Old and New Testament, the angel Gabriel makes several appearances; he is the angel who informs Mary that she will give birth to Jesus. According to Hebrew tradition, Gabriel is one of the seven archangels.
Bearers include Columbia
In the Bible Ira is King David's priest. Popular in the early part of the twentieth century it has since become rare. This is said EYE rah.
It is also used as a female name in Germany and other European countries. This use comes from it be
Contracted form of the Old French Johanne, from Latin Io(h)anna. In England, this was the usual feminine form of John from the Middle English period onwards.
Joan of Arc translates in French as Jeanne d'Arc.
As a Spanish girls' name, Luz means "light". As a Hebrew boys' name, Luz means "almond tree" or "hazel tree". Luz was the ancient name of the biblical town, Beth El. It is also a symbolic name for children born on Tu b’Shvat, the Jewish Arbor Day.