English Names

Anglicisation of the Hebrew Aharon. In the Bible, Aaron was the brother of Moses. It is the name of 'the Moor', the lover of Tamora, in Shakespeare's 'Titus Andronicus'. Other famous bearers include TV producer Aaron Spelling, pop singer Aaron Carter and

According to the Bible, Abel has the distinction of being the first murder victim in history, having been slain by his brother, Cain. He was also considered to be the first shepherd or keeper of animals. The Bible indicates that he was the first person to

In the Bible, Abraham was originally named Abram, but was bestowed the name of Abraham by God for he wanted him to be the "father of many nations". Abraham was married to Sarah and had eight sons. He is said to be the father of the Jewish nations through

In Hebrew this is a generic word for 'man' not used as a name, but it is also associated with 'adama' (earth), from which God was supposed to have made the first humans. According to the Bible Adam and Eve were the first humans, and lived in the Garden of

Adrian was the name of several early Christian saints and martyrs. It is derived from the Latin name "Hadrianus," which is more familiar to English speakers as "Hadrian." There have been six Popes named Adrian, including Adrian IV, the only Englishman to

Anglicized form of Aodhán. When combined with variants like Aiden, Ayden, Aydan, and Aden, Aidan was the most popular name for boys in the U.S. in 2006.

St Aidan was the founder of the monastery of Lindisfarne in north England. He is credit

A modern respelling of Aidan. May also be a variant of Eden. When combined with variants like Ayden, Aydan, and Aden, Aiden was the most popular name for boys in the U.S. in 2006.

Could serve as both a shortened form of the Sanskrit name Ajaya [in which case the first two given origins and meanings would be concerned] and as an extension of the initialism AJ.

Nickname for Al- names.

The name Alan is of Celtic origin and was introduced to the English by the Breton followers of William the Conqueror. The exact meaning of the name is not entirely known although "rock" seems to be the most probable. There are many variations of this name

Albert was a fairly common name in England in the Middle Ages, but later fell out of favor and was not revived until the nineteenth century. Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the husband of Queen Victoria; Prince Albert was the main reason this name ca

Transferred use of surname. John Alden was one of the passengers on the 'Mayflower', and his son, also called John, was accused during the Salem witch trials.

Diminutive of Alexander, originally popular in Scotland.

Bearers include former British Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home, and actors Alec Guinness and Alec Baldwin.

Alec Stoke-d'Urberville is one of the main characters in Tho

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

From the Old English elements 'ælf' (elf) and 'ræd' (counsel).

Alfred the Great was King of the Anglo-Saxons in southern England in the 9th century. His reign was well-documented by a contemporary Welsh Monk named Asser, in his 'Life of Kin

Variant of Allen.

Bearers include poet Allen Ginsberg, basketball player Allen Iverson and American musician Allen Toussaint.

As a surname, notable bearers include film director Woody Allen, singer Lily Allen and musician and

English version of the Spanish Alonso.

From the Old English elements 'ald' (old) and 'tun' (town, village).

Probably from the Old English elements 'ælf' (elf) and 'wine' (friend).

Alvin and the Chipmunks was a cartoon about a chipmunk band.

André is the French and Portuguese form of Andrew.

André was the 2nd most popular boy's name in France in the 1910s, 20s and early 30s, and has since declined in popularity. André is currently particularly popular in Norway as a middle name

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.

Anthony is from the Roman family name Antonius. Commonly shortened to "Tony" in the English speaking world, Anthony is one of the most common male names in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

Saint Anthony the Great was the fa

Contemporary variant of Antoine. Possibly a misspelling of Antoine. Could also be derived from Anthony. Regardless, a modern coinage that had a short burst of popularity in the early 1990's.

This is the Russian form of Antony.

The name has been borne by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and Austrian composer Anton Webern.

A Spanish form of the name Antonius (Anthony). The Portuguese form is spelt António.

Notable bearers include Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, actor Antonio Banderas, and Italian composer Antonio Salieri.

Antoony is from the Roman family name Antonius. Commonly shortened to "Tony" in the English speaking world, Antony or Anthony is one of the most common male names in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

Mark Antony or Marcus A

Occupational name for a bow-man or one who used or made bows and arrows. Used interchangably as a given, or first, name and a surname.

Arman is most commonly found in English speaking countries as a surname, but it also occurs as a given name. It is from the family of hereditary surnames and signifies a familiar relationship.

Arman also occurs quite frequently in those wit

From the Germanic elements 'arn' (eagle) and 'wald' (power, strength).

Saint Arnold is said to have been a zither player and a member of the court of Charlemagne.

Alternative spelling of Aaron.

Arvin has been used both as a surname as well as a given name. It's origin is Breton and was brought to England by the Normans after the Norman conquest of 1066. It was introducced and used frequently in England in it's anglicized form, Herve.

From the Old English 'aesc' - ash tree, and 'tun' - settlement.

The name is borne by American actor Ashton Kutcher.

In the modern English speaking world, August is better known as the name of a month rather than a first name. It appeared with relative frequency in the Victorian era, but has since essentially disappeared from use. "August" is still used as an adjecti

Augustus was a title first adopted by the Roman emperor Octavian. It is connected with the Latin verb 'augere', which means 'to augment'. There were several kings of Poland named Augustus.

Augustus Pugin was an architect who helped to desi

A contracted form of Augustine and originally a surname. Austin is a city in Texas. Austin was a British car manufacturer, that was later called the British Motor Corporation. They were responsible for the first Mini and later the Austin Rover group.

From the Germanic element 'ber' (bear), from Middle English 'barrette' (troubl, strife) or from the Old French 'barette' (cap). Now mainly in use as a surname.

Also an anglicisation of Fionbharr.

A nickname for Bartholomew and similar names.

French word for "handsome" (and therefore never used in French spaking countires as a given name) and American slang for "boyfriend". Its use as a first name likely came from a shortening of a surname such as Beauchamp or Beaufort in order to honor someon

Transferred use of the Scandinavian surname

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

There have been various saints named Bernard. The St Bernard dogs are named for St Bernard of Menthon who established a hospice on what is now known as the St Bernard Pass. This is the pass over the Pennine Alps of Switzerland and Italy. The dogs were use

Often used as a nickname for names containing -bert-. It is the name of a saint as well as the name of a character in Sesame Street.

Nickname for William.

Of ultimately Greek origins, brought to English via Latin.

Either from the Old English 'blæc' (black, dark) or 'blac' (bright, shining). Originally a surname this is now also used as a given name. Blake's 7 was a British science fiction TV series, shown in the late 1970s. The main character was named Roj Blake.

Braden can come from an Old English word meaning "broad" or "wide," and can also be derived from the Irish surname "O Bradáin," meaning "son of the salmon."

Surname from the Old English words 'brad' (broad) and 'ford' (ford). Several places in England bear this name, the largest being a city in West Yorkshire.

One of the many variations of Brayden.

Originally a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "broom hill" in Old English. Brandon is the name of the second-largest city in the Canadian province of Manitoba, and is the name of several towns throughout the U.S. and U.K.

Most known as the name of a popular tourist town in Missouri.

Anglicized spelling of Swiss German Brändle and Brändli, topographic names for someone who lived near a place where there had been a forest fire or in an area of town that had been burned down. It has also been used in the Midlands of the UK as a surname

The exact origin and etymology of the name Braulio is unclear, although it is a Spanish name which stems from an ancient Germanic root name meaning "shine" or "fire". It is found more commonly as a surname than as a given name.

Braulio, Bis

Trendy modern respelling of the traditional form Braden.

Trendy modern respelling of the legitimate form Braden.

Modern trendy coinage that came into being with the popularity of name like Brandon, Braydon, Kaylen etc.

The exact meaning of this name is unknown and has no traceble etymolgy. On can assume there is some sort of tie to Braden or Brandon,

Modern trendy coinage that came into being with the popularity of name like Brandon, Braydon, Kaylen etc.

The exact meaning of this name is unknown and has no traceable etymology. One can assume there is some sort of tie to Braden or Brando

Originated as a surname for those who lived by or in an area that had been burned. Also comes from a old Celtic word that meant "steep" or "steep hill" and was granted to those living on one.

It was also a reference to those who had been

Brice probably comes from the Gaulish adjective "brictio", meaning "spotted, dappled", and which gave "brizh" in modern Breton.

The name might have been originally attributed to boys who were born with freckles.

[breess] is

In origin a Germanic name derived from the Gothic 'brunjô', 'armour'. Aside from this the interpretation 'brown' is too among the possibilities. Sometimes the name is associated with the element 'bert', 'shining'.

Saint Bruno was the found

Cade is a surname with three separate English origins. It may be from an Old English first name which originally denoted something round or lumpy and swollen. Cade may also be derived from the Middle English word for barrel, thus denoting a barrel-maker.

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

Callum was the 13th most popular boy's name in the UK in 2006, but is extremely rare in the US.

A place name used as both surname and, occasionally, first name, possibly meaning 'winding valley'. Camden is a famously bohemian area of London.

Old fashioned German spelling variant of Karl.

In English, a "carter" is someone who carries materials in a cart. Carter is a common English surname, though it has recently gained popularity as boys' first name in English-speaking countries. As a surname, famous bearers include US President Jimmy Car

At first a placename based on the Celtic name of a nearby river it later made the transfer to surname and finally in the twentieth century to given name.

Cecil is either a deriviation of the Roman family name Caecilius, or from the Welsh word 'seissylt' (sixth), given to the sixth child.

Chandler was a main character on the popular American television show "Friends".

From the Germanic word karl meaning "free man", akin to Old English ceorl "man".
Charles is the French form of the name. There have been ten French kings named Charles, including Charlemagne (Charles the Great). Under Charlemagne's rule the Frankis

Charlie is very popular as a stand-alone name in the UK, rated 6h in 2007 (Charles came in at 52nd). It was ranked only 337th in the US.

Charlie is also used occasionally as a nickname for the feminine name Charlotte, or other female "Char"

In English, to "chase" means to hunt or pursue. Until about twenty years ago, Chase was encountered most frequently as a surname; it is now among the top 100 names for boys in the U.S.

Variant form that charted on the American top 1000 names in 1989.

Variant form of Christopher rarely found.

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

Based on Clarensis, a Latinisation which meant 'of Clare' or 'property of Clare'. It was the name of a dukedom created in 1362 by king Edward III for his son Lionel. The dukedom was named for the heiress of the Clare family whom Lionel married. Clarence c

Clark is a common surname and appears in several American place names. It was the middle name of 31st American President, Herbert Clark Hoover.

Clark Gable was an Academy-award winning actor, famous for his role of Rhett Butler in 'Gone wit

Could also mean 'fence settlement' from old English.

Famous bearers include American President Bill Clinton and his wife, Secretary of State, Hilary Rodham Clinton, funk musician George Clinton.

Coleman is a name and (more commonly) a surname with several different origins. As both an Irish and an English surname it is derived through Old Irish from the Latin 'columba' ('dove'). It can also be an anglicization of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Clumhá

Conrad is Lord Byron's wily Greek pirate in "The Corsair" (1814).
It is also the name of a minor character in Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing."

There have been five German kings named Conrad, and several saints.

A nickname derived from Cornelius but an English surname with both an English and French etymology as well. The surname has the same origin as Cornelius. They are both from the Latin 'cornu' or 'horn'. Cornell could be related to the French Corneille as w

Modern English respelling of the traditional form Christopher.

Transferred use of the surname. It serves as a short form for the names Curtis and Conrad as well.

The Greek story of Damon and Pythias is meant to symbolise friendship.

Damon Hill is a former Formula 1 racing driver. Damon Albarn is a British singer-songwriter, associated with the bands 'Blur' and 'Gorillaz'.

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

A name of uncertain origin, probably based on the names Darius or Dorian.

Darius the Great was king of Persia in the fifth and sixth centurys BC. He is famous for being a great financier and fighting against the Greeks at Marathon.

Darius Danesh is a singer.

Darnell is a name that has become a given name but originated as an Old English habituation surname given to or taken by those who lived in a hidden copse or a hard to find area. Another line of etymology points to an Old French origination brought to En

This alternate spelling for Darius reached #543 in the United States in 2005.

From the Old English name "Deorwine," "dear friend."

Most common as a surname, though it has come into popular use as a first name in the U.S. Perhaps the most famous bearer of this name was naturalist Charles Darwin, who authored "The Ori

A deacon is the name given to someone who works in the Christian church but is not a priest or minister - the role can change from denomination to denomination. As a verb, to deacon has various meanings. It can mean 'to pack fruit or vegetables so that on

A dean can also be a member of the clergy or, in universities and similar, someone with control over a certain academic department.

Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti) was an American actor and musician, and was a member of the 'Rat Pack'

This is a mixture of the two common spellings; Deon and Dion. It reached #411 in the United States in 2000.

A recently coined name made by combining the prefix De with the name Marco.

A name made from combining the prefix De- with the name Marcus.

A recently coined name made by combining the prefix De- with the name Mario.

'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

Traditional Cornish name slightly anglicized with an additional "e", yet used for centuries.

Famous bearers include American actor Denzel Washington.

The name Derek is borne by actor Derek Jacobi, baseball player Derek Jeter and film director Derek Jarman. It is also the name of a character in the popular TV series 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Destin has no known meaning, and is most likely a variant on the name Dustin. There is a well known tourist destination in Florida called Destin.

Of uncertain origin but possibly from a Norman place name.

'Dexter's Laboratory' is the name of an animated children's television show - the lead character is boy genius Dexter. 'Dexter' is also the name of a TV series based on books by Jeff Lindsay, in which the lead character, Dexter Morgan, is a serial killer

St Dominic was the founder of the Dominican religious order. Santo Domingo (St Dominic) is the capital of the Dominican Republic. dominic is a name traditionally given to children born on Sunday in reference to its "holiness".

Operation Dom

This is a variant spelling of Dominic commonly encountered in English-speaking countries.

Donald comes from the Scottish clan name Domhnall. It is a name frequently used in both Scotland and Ireland. At one time, it's popularity in Scotland rivaled that of Ian, however, Disney's character Donald Duck lead to it's use becoming less frequent. <

Draven was a name used in the movie "The Crow." It is popular among gothic circles, but has no known meaning.

There have been two Scottish kings named Duncan. Duncan I was portrayed in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth', where he is killed by Macbeth. In real life, Duncan was killed in battle.

Duncan Fletcher is a former cricket player and coach.

Dwight was the original middle name given to 34th US President Eisenhower. To avoid confusion with his father, who was also named David, he began to go by his middle name and used Dwight throughout his life. The nickname for Dwight is "Ike", which he also

Of uncertain origin, but its meaning is probably connected to the word for 'sea'. In Welsh mythology Dylan was a god of the sea and the son of Gwyddion and Arianrhod. He was accidentally killed by his uncle, a Smith God called Govannon. The Welsh poet Dyl

This title from Old English 'eorl', meaning nobleman, was often used as a nickname for a servant employed in a noble household.

Famous bearers include acclaimed actor James Earl Jones, 39th American President James Earl Carter, former Chief

Nickname for Ed- names.

From the Anglo-Saxon 'eád' or German 'ôt' - 'good, property, inheritance' and 'gar' or 'ger' meaning 'spear'. This combines in the meaning 'spear of prosperity', 'protector of the good (with the spear)'.

Originally and English name which b

See Edmund for more background information.
In the 20th century, this French form has tended to overtake the English Edmund.

A noted literary character by the name Edmond was the Count of Monte Cristo in the novel of the same name w

From the Old English elements 'ead' (prosperity, fortune) and 'mund' (protection). This concludes in the meaning 'prosperous protection' but another possible meaning is 'protector of prosperity (or inheritance)'.
The most famous Edmund was King St

Greek variant of the Hebrew Elijah. "Elias" is the name of an oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn. It is sometimes claimed that Elias is linked to the ancient Greek name Helios, though this theory is not strongly supported by onomastic evidence.

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.<

A diminutive of the Old French Elie, possible cognate of Elijah. The popular medieval diminutive gave rise to a surname which is the immediate source for the modern use of Elliot.

Transferred use of the surname originating from the Old English elements for "noble" and "famous".

It may also be from the Medieval French name Aylmer, or a modification of Elmo, popularized in the 19th century by Augusta Jane Evans' novel

Variant of Alvin.

English variant of the Old French Aimeri, a name derived from the Old High German Amalrich (work ruler), a compound name composed of the elements amal (work) and rich (ruler, king).

Derived from the Old Norse Eirìkr (eternal ruler), a compound name composed of the elements ei (ever, always) and ríkr (ruler). The origin of the name is debated. Most believe in the Norse etymology, but there are some who think it comes to the Old Norse

Cognate of the Germanic Ernst, the name was introduced to England in the 18th century following the coronation of George I (1660-1727), the "German King". George III's son Ernest Augustus, was the first of five Kings of Hanover to hold the name. Ernest Au

Of debated etymology, some believe it is derived from a Scottish place name of uncertain origin. Others think it is derived from the Latin errare (to wander).

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

A borrowing from the French Eugène.

From the Latin Eugenius and the Greek Eugenios, which are derived from the Greek "eugenes" (well-born, noble). Eugene was a name borne by four popes and several saints.

Eugène de Beauharna

Evan is considered to be Welsh and is, like Ieunan, a form of John and means "God is gracious". Evan and Even are used also in Britanny where they are linked to John the Baptist. These forms overlap in Ireland and Scotland with forms of Eoghan, which are

Originally a surname derived from the first name Everard

Fabian is from Fabius, a Roman family name from the Latin noun 'faba', meaning broad bean.

Pope Fabian lived in the 3rd century AD. The Fabian Society is a British socialist society that has influenced the Labour Party.

Fabi

There have been several St Felixs. St Felix and his sister, St Regula, are the patron saints of Zurich. St Felix of Burgundy is known as the bishop who introduced Christianity into East Anglia, in England. There have been four Popes named Felix.
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St. Francis is the patron saint of animals. He also founded the Franciscan monastic order.

The co-founder of the Jesuit order was St Francis Xavier.

There have been various rulers named Francis, including 2 Kings of France, 2

Frank is an older name than Francis. Like Francis, it is an English form of the French name François, from the Germanic tribe "the Franks". It is highly possible that the name was first derived in English from the Germanic 'franca' meaning "javelin, spear

A Middle English term from the feudal system indicating a free, land-owning gentleman.

Franklin is the first name of two US Presidents, Franklin Pierce and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and is the surname of US patriot and statesman Benjamin F

Fred is a nickname for Frederick or Alfred. In speech 'Fred Bloggs' is a name used to mean 'any old member of the public'. Fred is used as the name of one of the Weasley twins in J.K. Rowling's popular 'Harry Potter' series.

Nickname for Fred- names, mainly in male use.

Gage is primarily a surname, though it has gained popularity as a first name in English-speaking countries of late.

English cognate of the Roman name Galenus, derived from the Greek meaning "calm".

Garrett is a name that derives from the names Gerard or Gerald, both containing the Germanic "gar" element, meaning "spear."

Garrett is regularly found as a surname as in the cases of 1970's teen pop idol Leif Garrett, Pat Garrett (who was

Gary can be used as a nickname for many names, including Gerhard, Garrison, Gareth and Garrett.

Gavin is a form of Gawain. Gawain was one of King Arthur's knights of the Round Table.

From the Old French form of the Germanic name, Geoffroy, meaning "God's peace".

Geoffrey may also be derived from Germanic elements meaning "peaceful place," "peaceful traveler," or "pledge of peace."

There have been six British kings called George, and Saint George is the patron saint of England, knights, armorers and archers. This is also the first name of US President, George H. W. Bush and his son, President George W. Bush, and the first US Preside

Gerald Ford was the 38th President of United States of America. He became President following the resignation of Richard Nixon. President Ford was adopted as a boy; his birth name was Leslie Lynch King Jr.

There have been various saints nam

William Gilbert was an Elizabethan physician and scientist who investigated electricity and magnetism. WS Gilbert was one half of the opera creating duo Gilbert and Sullivan. He was a librettist or lyricist. Gilbert and George are a pair of modern artists

Gordon is a Scottish clan name, that is now used as a first name. Gordon Brown is the current British Prime Minister.

Flash Gordon was a comic strip, television show and film. Gordon is also the name of the Big Engine in Thomas the Tank Eng

Graydon has made one appearance on the Top 1000 list in 1905, when color names, along with jewel and nature names, were at their height of popularity.

Modern variant of Gray. Familial surname indicating someone is the "son of Gray" or "son of the gray haired".

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

Guy is also slang for a man.

Guy or Guido Fawkes was one of the members of a group of Roman Catholics who attempted to blow up the English Houses of Parliament and King James I on 5 November 1605. Guy Fawkes was discovered with the gunpowde

Originally a pet form of Hankin, which itself was a medieval diminutive for John, Hank is now also used as a nickname for Henry. It experienced a sudden rise in popularity in the United States in the 1940s but has since become very rare on babies.

Occupational and personal surname, which later became popular as a given name, derived from Herman designating a soldier or warrior...a man in the army. Variant spelling of Harmon.

There have been two English kings named Harold. The second, Harold Godwinson, was killed in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. By popular legend, he died when an arrow was shot in his eye. There have also been three Kings of Denmark named Harald and five kin

Harrison is a common surname - examples of bearers include Beatle George Harrison and US Presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison, who were grandfather and grandson.

It is the first name of actor Harrison Ford, and Harrison Schmitt w

Harry started out as a nickname for Henry, but is now used as a name in its own right. In the US it was the 593rd most popular name for boys in 2006. In the UK however, where it is the popular name of one of the royal princes, the name comes in fifth. It

The heath habitat is a shrubland area with low-growing woody vegetation.

As a first name, famous Heaths include actor Heath Ledger and American politician and former American football player Heath Shuler.

Latinised form of the Greek Hektor. In Greek mythology Hector was the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. According to Homer's Iliad, the warrior Hector was killed by Achilles in a fit of vengeful wrath after slaying Achilles' comrade Patroclus in

Hendrix is most commonly associated with rock guitar musician Jimi Hendrix, who died at the age of 27.

Henry is an anglicized form of the Germanic name Heinrich or Heimrich. Henry has remained popular throughout history evidenced by the fact that rulers from Britain, France and Germany have all carried it. The name Henry has also figured prominently in A

Famous Herberts include: 31st US President Herbert Clark Hoover and 41st US President George Herbert Walker Bush. Herbert is also found frequently as a surname.

Cartoons Family Guy and South Park both have characters with this name: the eld

Biblically, Hezekiah was a good King of Judah.

Howard is the family surname of the English Dukes of Norfolk. Famous members of the family include Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII and Thomas Howard, her uncle and the uncle of Anne Boleyn.

Other people bearing the surname H

St. Hubert is the patron saint of hunters.

Hudson is of uncertain origin with possible ties to Huda, Hudde, Hugh, and Richard.

Hudson Bay in north-east Canada and the Hudson River which marks the border between New York and New Jersey were named after the explorer Henry Hudson.

Hugh was a name of several medieval rulers. There were six Dukes of Burgundy named Hugh, four Counts of Angolême, 4 kings of Cyprus and 13 of Lusignan. Several of the Hughs of Lusignan (Lusignan is a town close to Poitiers in France) were also kings of Cy

Victor Hugo was a French novelist and poet, famous for 'Les Misérables' and 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'.

The current President of Venezuela is Hugo Chávez and Hugo Banzer is a former Bolivian president.

Hugo Grotius, who

Irwin is a variation on the surname Irvine, as descended from one of the Middle English names composed of elements meaning 'wild boar' and 'friend'.

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.

From the Hebrew 'is', 'man'.

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

In the Hebrew Bible, Ishmael is the first son of the patriarch Abraham. According to tradition, it was Ishmael who engendered the Arab people. He is also reputed to have built the foundations of the Ka'aba in Mecca.

Ishmael is the name of

This Russian form of John was the name of four rulers of Russia, including 'Ivan the Terrible', who was the first monarch to be called a 'tsar'. Ivan was also the codename given to 'Tsar Bomba', the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated, developed by the Ru

Though originally a nickname for John, Jack is frequently given as a stand-alone name today. In the UK, it has been the most popular name for baby boys for the last thirteen years.

In cards, a jack is the lowest-ranking of the face cards.

Traditionally a surname, Jackson has gained recent popularity as a first name. This rise in popularity is probably due to parents using Jackson as a longer form of the nickname Jack. Jack is traditionally a nickname for the name John.

Fa

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

Possibly a modern variation on the traditional Jacques with a phoenetic pronunciation.

Originally a nickname for Jacob, Jake has attained considerable success in the UK, where it was rated as the 15th most popular boy's name in 2006. It was ranked 107th in the US.

Most likely an English variant of the Arabic Jamal.

A recently coined name combining Marcus with the prefix Ja.

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

Transferred use of the surname, which is from Gervaise, a first name brought to England by the Normans.

Jason is a popular name in English-speaking countries. It was borne in Greek mythology by the great Thessalian hero who led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece. A Jason is mentioned in the Biblical books of Acts and Romans, his house is used

In English, the name Jasper can derive either from the Persian name Caspar, meaning "treasurer," or the Persian word "yashp," meaning "spotted stone." It is the name of a semi-precious form of quartz.

Famous Jaspers include Jasper Tudor, u

Modern creation from the name Jack and the additon of the ending "ton".

Surname of third US President Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence. It was also the middle name of William Jefferson Clinton.

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

The French variant of the name is spelled Jérémie.

An anglicized form of the name Jeremiah that originally gained popularity in the Middle Ages. Famous bearers include British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, political interviewer Jeremy Paxman, actor Jeremy Irons and talk show host Jeremy Kyle.

The French form of the name is spelled Jérôme.

St. Jerome is the patron saint of librarians, he translated the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin.

Jerome K Jerome was an English novelist.

Variant spelling of Jeremy.

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

This misspelling of Joseph reached #418 in the United States in 1989.

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.

Nickname for John- or Jon- names. Form of John adopted by popular American actor Johnny Depp.

This is a combination of both names John and Paul. It seems to be a popular combination, helped along in many countries by the association with Popes John Paul I and II.

Johnson is a familial surname that rarely occurs as a first name. Famous bearers include Sports hero Earvin "Magic" Johnson and 17th President of the US Andrew Johnson.

"Johnson" is sometimes used as American slang to reference a man's geni

A prophet of the Old Testament.

Famous bearers include Jonas Salk, American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine and Disney's The Jonas Brothers (joe,

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.

Spelt Julián in Spanish.

Julian is a common saint name. Saint Julian the Hospitaler was a saint from the Middle Ages and is the patron saint of travelers. Julian is rarely used as a female name; Julian of Norwich, the only famous female be

Julius Caesar was a Roman general and politician. His assassination was fictionalised in Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'. He was of the gens or clan of Julia, and so Julius was passed on to his nephew, the emperor Augustus, who was the founder of the Julio-

There were two Byzantine emperors named Justin. Justin Martyr was an early Christian apologist and saint. Justin Timberlake is an American singer.

Justin was the 8th most popular name in Quebec in 2006.

The anglicized spelling of the arabic Khadim.

A variant spelling of Caden.

This seems to be a modern respelling of the legitimate name Cael, of Celtic/Gaelic origin. "K" is not a letter native to the language, so it's use in this respelling most certainly is by those of english speaking countries. Cael is the name that bears mea

Keith was originally Scottish and probably came from a form of 'coillte' or 'ceiteach', meaning "woods".

It might also have been influenced by Welsh 'coedwig' (forest), and even by Old English 'cuth' (knowledgeable).

Keith is

Ken is a short form of Kenneth, from the Gaelic meaning "born on fire".
As a Japanese name, Ken may be written with the character for "build". Other possibilities include the characters for "respect" or "authority".

Kenneth was particularly popular from the 1930s to 1960s, when it was in the US top 20. It has since declined in popularity, and in 2006 was the 128th most popular male name. It currently retains popularity in the East coast states.

There

A name created by combining the prefix Ke- with a variant of the name Sean.

Kevin of Glendalough was an early Irish saint who is credited for spreading the popularity of the name Kevin (originally Caoimhín).

Perhaps the most famous Kevin today is Kevin Bacon, an American actor to whom - it is alleged - anyone in

Often seen as an alternative spelling to the traditional Kyle, Kiel is, in fact, of a different line of etymology. Of unknown meaning, Kiel is a surname of Germanic origin which is derived from the town of the same name in Saxony.

Middle English name for someone who lived or worked in a church from the Old Norse 'kirkja'.

Kyle is the name of a former district of Ayrshire in Scotland. It is also the term for a narrow strip of water between two islands or between an island and the mainland, as in 'the Kyle of Tongue' on the northern coast.

It was the 10th most

This spelling is more commonly used in North America and Australia.

Often mistaken as a short form of Lancelot. It is also been associated with the Old French word for the weapon, lance.

Famous Lances include cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Originally a surname which was derived from an Old English place name

Anglicized spelling of Laurence.

This name was originally used as a surname.

A variant spelling of the name Lane, Layne is commonly encountered as a surname.

Anglicized spelling of the surname, Leighton.

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

English, German and Polish form of Leo. It is spelled as Léon in French.

León is a province in Spain, it's capital is also called León. León is also the name of a car made by SEAT.

Russian Bolshevik revolutionary, Leon Trotsk

Likely from the place name, Leicester, or in the 10th century "Ligora caester" more or less meaning Ligora's fort.

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.

This is actually an Armenian variant of Leon, now used as a given name in North America.

Lewis is a long accepted English spelling of the French name, Louis. It was the 20th most popular boy's name in the UK in 2006 and 2nd in Scotland, but was ranked only 678th in the US. The Isle of Lewis is one of the islands off the west coast of Scotland

This name is a short form of the Irish name Uilliam (William) which is now use independently as a given name. As a Hebrew name, Liam means "my people; I have a nation".

Famous bearers include 'Oasis' singer Liam Gallagher, former Irish Tao

The original Lincoln is a city in England, although there are now Lincolns all over the world. It was taken as a surname and is now becoming popular as a first name (it was the 300th most popular boy's name in the US in 2006). For those who don't live nea

Anglicized spelling of the traditional Lachlan.

Originally a surname which was derived from a Scottish place name

Anglicised nickname for Louis.

Louis is a traditional and still very popular French name related to Clovis and Ludovic.
The Germanic Chlodowig, derived from 'hold' ("glory, fame") and 'wig' ("warrior), was simplified to Clovis. The Latin form of Clovis became Clodovico, which ga

Famous bearers include Lucian of Samosata -an Assyrian satirist, St Lucian of Antioch and British painter Lucian Freud.

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

Most famous bearer of this surname turned personal name is 36th President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson. Other famous bearers include political activist and economist Lyndon LaRouche,

Modern variant of Malachi.

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

Martin is derived from Latin "Martinus," which came from the name "Mars," the Roman god of war.

Saint Martin of Tours was a bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. He

Marvin is generally considered a Medieval variant of Mervyn, resulting from the regular Middle English change of 'er' to 'ar'.

It could also be derived from the Welsh Myrddyn, meaning "sea fort". In this case Marvin is related to Merlin, as

Transferred use of a surname, derived from the French 'maçon' (bricklayer, stoneworker), connected with Old English 'macian' (to make). The Freemasons are a fraternal organisation or brotherhood with obscure origins.

It was the 39th most

Pet form of Matthew, occasionally found as an independent name.

Famous bearers include actor Matt Damon.

Matthew is the English form of the Hebrew name Mattityahu meaning "gift of God", through the Greek Matthaios.

Matthew the Evangelist, traditionally held as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, is an important Christian figure best known as

New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew Mattathia.

The name of an early saint, and used by Christians of the Roman empire.

More modern examples of the name Maurice include musician and member of the 'BeeGees' Maurice Gibb, impressionist composer Maurice Ravel and Nobel Prize winning author

Short for of Maximilian, Maxwell, and the various name using it as a first syllable.
It is often bestowed as an independent name.

Derived from the Latin Maximus.

Some argue that it might be a blending of Maximus with another Latin name: Aemilianus.

Famous bearers include Maximilian I of Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maximilien Robespierre, a French

Variant of Maximilian, derived from the Latin Maximus.

Modern creation formed from the name Max, and combining it with an ending "ton". No known meaning.

English name derived from the Hebrew Micha. It is often taken as short form of Micaiah, meaning "who is like God?".

It was the name of several characters of the Old Testament, including a Prophet titular of the Book of Micah.

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

Short form of Michael, also used as an independent name, particularly in the US.

Brought to England with the Norman conquest, maybe via the French form Milon, Miles is of uncertain derivation.

It might be derived from Milon, French form Milo, which is possibly of Germanic origin or from a Greek and Roman personal name.

The name Milo is of uncertain derivation.

Of Germanic origin, adopted by the French as Milon, and established in English-speaking countries as Miles.

Milo might come from the German 'mild' (mild, peaceful, calm), which is d

Surname derived from the place names; from the Old English middel (middle) and tun (settlement); or mylentun (settlement by the mill).

The surname is most famous as that of the poet John Milton, and the given name is sometimes bestowed in h

Transferred use of a surname, derived from Michel, a Medieval variant of Michael.

Mitchell is a common surname, borne by 'Gone with the Wind' author Margaret Mitchell, and musician Joni Mitchell. Mitch is a character in Tennessee Williams'

Variant of Miles.

From a classical Greek name, derived from Greek 'myron' (myrrh).
Myrrh is a red-brown dried sap of a tree native to Somalia and the eastern parts of Ethiopia.

The name was borne by a famous sculptor of the 5th century BC.
It

Famous bearers of Nash as a surname include mathematician John Nash, whose story was told in the film 'A Beautiful Mind' and 18th century English architect John Nash, who was responsible for the design of Marble Arch and the remodelling of Buckingham Pala

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,

Famous Neils include the first man to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, writers Neil Gaiman and Neil Postman, and singers Neil Diamond and Neil Tennant of the 'Pet Shop Boys'. Neil Kinnock is a British politician, who was leader of the Labour Party in the

There are various saints named Nicholas, the most famous of whom is St Nicholas of Myra. His name became Santa Claus and, combined with his reputation for secretly-giving gifts, he became associated with Father Christmas.

'Nicholas Nickleby

This French and Spanish spelling of Nicolas is borne by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and actor Nicolas Cage.

Nicolas is also the name of a chain of French wine retailers.

It was the 8th most popular name in Chile in 2006.

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

From the French Olivier, believed to be an old French version of the Germanic name Alfihar. The name is also associated with the olive tree and therefore peace. Oliver was the 173rd most popular boy's name in the US in 2006, but the third most popular i

Contemporary American variant of the name Omari.

St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

Notable bearers include actor Patrick Stewart, French football or soccer player Patrick Vieira, 'Dr Who' actor Patrick Troughton, astronomer Patrick Moore and actor Patrick Dempsey.

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

From medieval times this was a nickname for Piers or Percival. It is also a surname ultimately derived from the Gallo-Roman name Persius.

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

Nickname for Phil- names.

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

Variant spelling of Philip.

To pierce something is to make a hole in something or to penetrate it.

Pierce Brosnan is an actor, most famous for playing James Bond. Franklin Pierce was the 14th American President.

Elvis Presley was an American musician and actor, also known as 'The King'. Since his death in 1977, his home, Graceland, has become a site of pilgrimage for Elvis fans, and there are numerous Elvis tribute acts.

Quentin Blake is a British illustrator and author. He is most famous for illustrating Roald Dahl's books. The name is also borne by film director Quentin Tarantino.

Quincy is the middle name of sixth US President, John Quincy Adams. He was named after his great-grandfather, John Quincy, Speaker of the Massachusetts Assembly and militia officer in the Revolutionary War.

Famous bearers of Quinn as a surname include actor Anthony Quinn, journalist Kimberley Quinn and various politicians named John Quinn.

Ramiro is ancient and Tuetonic in origin. The surname Ramirez derives from the name Ramiro. The meaning is derivative from Ramiro, a Spanish martial who served under King Leovigild of the Visigoths.

Randall Flagg is a fictional character created by Stephen King in his nine part 'Dark Tower' series.

Randall is commonly found as a surname.

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

Raymond was the name of seven Counts of Toulouse, up until the 13th century.

Raymond Poincaré was a French politician, who was President of France during the First World War. Raymond Chandler was an author.

'Everybody loves

Singer and musician Elton John's birth name was Reginald Dwight.

Reuben is the transliterated and anglicized form of the Hebrew name Re'uven. In the Bible, Reuben is the oldest son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of the tribe of Reuben.

Reuben is the name of a British alternative rock band. There is a

Rhett is an aglicized form of a Dutch surname meaning "advice, counsel". Quite notably, it is the name of a character in Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" and brought to the screen by legendary actor Clark Gable.

There were two Welsh rulers of note in medieval times named Rhys - Rhys ap Tewdwr and his grandson Rhys ap Gruffyd. The name is also borne by Welsh actor Rhys Ifans.

It is a very popular name in Wales - #5 there in 2006.

Richard has always been a very popular name throughout the English-speaking world. It was first imported to England by the Normans, though it is derived from the Germanic elements "ric" (power) and "hard" (strong, hardy). The original form was probably

Nickname for Richard, Fredrick or Patrick.

Nickname for Ricardo and Federico. In use as a surname as well.

Nature name or noun used as both a given name and a surname,

Ridge Forrester is a character on the American Soap Opera "The bold and the Beautiful".

There have been various saints named Robert. St Robert of Molesme was one of the founders of the Cistercian monastic order. St Robert Bellarmine was a Catholic Cardinal, and is one of the Doctors of the Church.

There were three kings of Sc

Although Rocky could possibly have been adopted as a playful form of the name Rocco, it more than likely is utilized because of its existence as a noun. The name gained popularity as a given name over a nickname when the Sylvester Stallone movie "Rocky" c

Roderick is from the Latin Rodericus, which is from the Old High German Hrodrich, a compounding of the elements 'hruod' meaning "fame" and 'rik' meaning "ruler; king". King Roderick was supposedly the 'last king of the Goths' in the 8th century, but very

Transferred use of the surname, from the place name in Somerset, an area of land in the marshes near Markham.
This is first recorded in the form Rodenye; it derives from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Hroda (a short form of the

From an Old French personal name of Germanic origin, from hrod (fame) and land (land, territory).
This was adopted by the Normans and introduced by them to Britain.

In Old French literature, it is borne by a legendary Frankish hero,

Spanish form of Roland.

As well as being the word used to describe someone or something from the Italian city of Rome, 'un roman' is the French word for a novel.

Famous Romans include film director Roman Polanski, and the Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club R

This name appeared in the US top 1000 during the years 1995 and 1996, and it has seen it's share of use, there is no known meaning for the name and the etymological lineage is unclear.

From the Old norse, composed of the elements meaning "Advice; decision; the gods" and "ruler".

Ronald Reagan was President of the United States 1981-9. Ronald McDonald is the clown mascot of restaurant chain McDonald's and Ronald Weasley is

Portuguese form of Ronald.

Transferred use of the surname; often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt or Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Ross is a region of north Scotland. The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, it was named after Captain James Ross who discovered it in 1841. It was the place where James Scott and his party died, having failed to become the first people

Originally a Scottish name, representing an Anglicized spelling of the Gaelic nickname "Ruadh" (red). It has since spread to other parts of the English-speaking world, where it is often reanalysed as Old French "roy" (king).

Although ironic in light of its meaning, very well known in respect to the Christmas tale "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

Famous bearers include movie star Rudolph Valentino (known as "The World Greatest Lover"), politician and former may

This is a nick name or pet name for a person who's given name is Russel. It is also given sometimes as a pet name for one with red hair. Seldom used as a given name on it's own, Rusty charted on the Top 1000 names from 1940 to 1995.

El Salvador is a country in Central America. El Salvador means 'the saviour' - it was named after Jesus Christ by Spanish conquistadors. The country is a similar size to the US state of Massachusetts with a population of 6.9 million.

Salva

Italian variation of Salvador

Alternate spelling of Sammy

Well known from the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was a prophet during the time that the Israelites were being attacked by the Philistines. He fell in love with Delilah, who was working for the Philistines, and revealed to her that the sour

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.

A combination of san (saint) and Ana.

Endearment of Santo

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

Sawyer's rise in popularity on boys in the U.S. is likely the combined effect of the increasing popularity of surnames as first names, and public interest in the character named Sawyer on the television show "Lost."

Tom Sawyer is a literary

This name is commonly anglicized as Skyler.

Came originally from Old English to mean Scotsman.

Robert Scott was the leader of the losing team in the 'Race to the Pole', and died on his return. Walter Scott was a novelist.

'Beam me up, Scotty' is a phrase associated wi

Diminutive of Scott. Scottish Terriers are often called Scotties.

Common nickname for Scott.

The Irish form of John. Famous bearers include actors Sean Connery - the first James Bond, Sean Bean, Sean Astin - Samwise Gamgee in the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, Sean "Puffy" or "P. Diddy" Combs and Sean Penn.

In early Christian lore, Saint Sebastian was a Roman soldier who was martyred when his Christian faith was discovered. Sebastian was an extremely popular saint in the Middle Ages.

In Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', Sebastian is the twin br

James written backwards.

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.

Diminutive of Chantal and Anglicized version of the French, "chanter"; to sing.

Alternate spelling of Shay.

Can also be a nickname for Seamus.

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.

Søren is the correct spelling. It is derived directly from the Italian name Severino.

From the French word to dispense.

Surname of the Princess of Wales, Lady Diana Spencer.

Alternate spelling of Spencer.

Stanley was the name of the character played by Marlon Brando in the film "A Streetcar Named Desire", which is based upon the play by Tennessee Williams. Stanley is also a place name across the UK and the US.

Morgan Stanley is an investm

Italian version of Stephen.

St Stephen was the first Christian martyr, his stoning is depicted in the New Testament book of Acts. St Stephen's Day is 26 December.

There have been nine Popes named Stephen, five kings of Hungary named Stephen and one King of England. G

Pound sterling is the official name for the British currency. As an adjective, sterling relates to something being thoroughly excellent. Sterling silver is an alloy of silver, commonly used to make cutlery.

Alternate spelling of Stephen.

Famous bearers include film directors Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh and Steven Seagal, and English footballer Steven Gerrard.

From the English word, steward, or caretaker of the house.

Used almost exclusively as a surname.

Indian and Arabic name meaning "crown", respectively from the Sanskrit and the Persian.

A taj is also a tall conical cap worn by Muslims as a headdress of distinction.

This surname has four separate origins. In English-speaking countries it is simply an occupational surname for a tanner (a tanner is someone who treats animal hide to make leather). In German it is either a variant of the surname Tann (meaning 'forest', a

May or may not be related to the astrological sign, Taurus. People who are born under the sign of Taurus are called Taureans.

The name was borne by a Roman writer of comedies, Publius Terentius Afer, commonly known as Terence.

This is an alternate spelling of Terence or Terrence.

This is a variant spelling of Terence.

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

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

From a Middle English dialect word from the north of England.

Anthony is from the Roman family name Antonius. Commonly shortened to "Tony" in the English speaking world, Anthony is one of the most common male names in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. Saint Anthony the Great was the father of Christi

The River Trent is an English river that traditionally marked the divide between north and south England. It flows through towns such as Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Burton upon Trent.

From an English surname that was derived from Tucian. Tucian and Tucker are both occupation surnames referring to someone who fulls or increases the weight of cloth.

Tyler is a city in Texas, presumably named so after John Tyler, the 10th US President.

A recently coined combination of the nickname Ty with the name Shawn.

Vail is a very popular skiing community in Colorado.

Vance Brand is a former American astronaut.

Pet form of Vernon.

There have been three Popes named Victor. It was also a name used by the House of Savoy, which later became the family that ruled Italy following its unification in 1860 - Victor Emmanuel II was the first king of Italy.

Other famous Victor

St Vincent of Saragossa is the patron saint of Lisbon.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is an island chain in the Lesser Antilles, with St Vincent being the largest island.

Famous bearers include artist Vincent van Gogh and ac

Walker-on-Tyne is a village in north-east England. There are also five US cities named Walker. Additionally, "Walker, Texas Ranger" was a popular American television show for many years.

Walker is a common occupational surname and the mid

Name borne by the 29th US President, Warren Gamaliel Harding. Other famous bearers include Rapper Warren G., film star Warren Beatty, rock star Warren Zevon and philanthropist Warren Buffet.

The Warren Commission was the unofficial name of

Historically, Wesley was used in memory of the founders of the Methodist church, John and Charles Wesley. At first, it was principally used by Methodists, but it has since spread to general use.

Famous bearers include actor Wesley Snipes,

William comes from the Germanic elements 'wil' (will, desire) and 'helm' (helmet, protection). It was the 10th most popular name for boys in the US in 2006, and the 7th most popular in the UK.

There have been many rulers named William, incl

Winston was the first name of British prime minister Winston Churchill. His ancestor - John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough's father was named Winston, as it was the maiden name of this Winston Churchill's mother, Sarah Winston.

O

Modern respelling of Winter. Popularized in part by MTV's television show "Liquid Televison" on which a puppet character was named Wynter Steel.

Modern respelling of the name Xavier.

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

Modern respelling of the legitimate Xavier.

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

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

A respelling of Abigail.

A respelling of Abigail.

Acacia is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs. The name is derived from the Greek word "ake," "point," referring to the sharp spines that grow on some species of acacia.

In the Victorian language of flowers, acacia signified friendship,

Although some link this name to "Adaline" or "Adelaide", the true origin of this modern name is more likely what is found in "Marilyn" and "Arilyn/Aralyn", or "Madison" and "Adison" where a popular name is modified by dropping the first letter to give the

This name was imported to England by Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the wife of William IV of Great Britain. She gave her name to the South Australian city of Adelaide. In contemporary literature of the time, Adelaide was frequently used as a name for upper

In French spelt with a grave accent: 'Adèle'.

Adele was the name of Jane's flighty but charming charge in Charlotte Brontë's novel "Jane Eyre."

'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I' by Gustav Klimt is one of the most expensive

A Norman name that came back into fashion in the nineteenth century. Adeline's popularity continued well into the early twentieth century, perhaps partly due to the song "Sweet Adeline." It fell out of favor in English-speaking countries in the mid-twen

Adriana is a main character of Shakespeare's play "The Comedy of Errors".

Adriana Lima is a Brazilian model, and Adriana Barraza is a Mexican actress.

Adrianna is a variant of Adriana, the Spanish and Italian form of Adrian.

Adrianna Costa is an American television presenter.

Famous bearers include former Governor-General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson and American feminist Adrienne Rich. Adrienne Shelly was an American actress and film director.

Scottish variant of Eileen.

Aileen Wuornos was an American serial killer.

The name was also born by silent film actress Aileen Pringle.

Respelling of the Gaelic word 'aisling'.

The feminine form of Alain, which is the French form of Alan.

Variant spelling of Alana, possibly influenced by the name 'Anna'. This spelling highlights the Gaelic pronunciation of Alana.

The name is borne by actress Alanna Ubach and journalist Alanna Nash.

Respelling of Alina.

Aleena is the name of the mother of cartoon character Sonic the Hedgehog, and a race of aliens in the 'Star Wars' franchise.

Variant of Alaina or Alina.

St Alena was a Belgian martyr.

A modern variant of Alicia.

Alessandra is the Italian form of Alexandra.

The name is borne by Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio and right-wing Italian politician Alessandra Mussolini.

Short form of Alexandra or feminine form of Alexis.

Alexa Vega is an American actress.

There have been various Alexandras in royalty: Alexandra of Hesse was the wife of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of British King Edward VIII and Princess Alexandra is a cousin of British Queen Elizabeth II.

Respelling of Alexandria.

Alexander the Great founded many cities in his name, the most famous of which is Alexandria in Egypt. The Library of Alexandria was the largest in the ancient world, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Feminine form of the Greek Alexios.

Alexia is also the technical term for 'word blindness', a neurological disorder caused by a brain lesion resulting in inability to understand written language.

Princess Alexia is third in l

Alice was an extremely common name in medieval England, though it frequently appeared in the alternate form Alys. It is found several times in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," most famously as the name of the Wife of Bath. The name fell into disuse for man

Alicia is the Spanish and modern Latinate form of Alice.

Bearers include American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, actresses Alicia Silverstone and Alicia Witt, and Australian tennis player Alicia Molik.

Of uncertain origin. It may be from an Arabic word for 'noble' or, in Scotland, a feminine form of Alistair.

It could also be a form of Adelaide.

The name is borne by ballerina Alina Cojocaru.

A Norman French diminutive of Alice.

The name was particularly popular in Scotland from the 16th century, and was revived in England in the 20th century. In the USA, Alison experienced it's highest popularity in the mid 1980s when it broke

This is a modern respelling of the name Olivia. There is no known meaning for this modern coinage.

Variant of Alison, a Norman French diminutive of Alice.

Since 1963 in the US, Allison has been more popular than Alison.

The name is borne by news anchor Allison Stewart, Canadian singer Allison Crowe, and actresses Allison M

A more modern respelling of Allison.

Allyson Felix is an American athlete.

Could be explained as from the Hebrew, 'maiden', from the Germanic 'amal', 'effort', or from the Latin 'alma', 'nourishing'.

The River Alma in Ukraine was the site of a battle during the Crimean War, which was won by British, French and Ot

Respelling of Alice.

A variant of Alicia first used in the 1980s.

A recently coined variant of Alicia. Most often pronunced ah-LISS-ee-ah it is occasionally said ah-LEESH-yah or ah-LEES-ee-ah.

A modern respelling of Alison.

Alyssa might also be derived from the flower alyssum's name.

Actress Alyssa Milano is a famous bearer.

Amber is a fossilized tree resin commonly found on the shores of the Baltic and North Seas. Since ancient times, its primary use has been decorative. The Amber Road was the trade route from the Baltic to Italy through which amber was traded.

Amelia is actually derived from two names: "Emilia," a Latin name meaning "rival," and "Amalia," a Germanic name meaning "work" or "labor." Henry Fielding popularized this name with his novel "Amelia" in 1751. More recently, the name took center stage i

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

Variant of Annabel. Ana is the Spanish, Portuguese, Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian and Croatian form of Anna.

A diminutive form of the Persian Ahahita, Anahi is a shortened form or nickname that is also accepted and used on it's own.

There are several saints named Anastasia. St Anastasia of Sirmium was a fourth century martyr. December 25 is St Anastasia's Day.

St Anastasia the Patrician lived in the sixth century. In order to escape the advances of Emperor Justinian

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

Angelina Jolie is an American actress. The name is also shared by the character Angelina Ballerina - a dancing mouse.

Ann is the English spelling of Anne, the French form of Hannah, that has been used since Medieval times.

Ann Arbor is a city in Michigan, the 'Ann' part of the name comes from the first name of the wives of its founders John Allen and Elish

Either an elaboration of Anna, or a past misreading of the name Amabel.

'Annabel Lee' is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, about a woman who Poe loved, even after her death.

The name is borne by former English tennis player Annabel

Either an elaboration of Anna, or a past misreading of the name Amabel.

Either an elaboration of Anna, or a past misreading of the name Amabel.

A modern English variant of Anneliese.

April was not taken up as a name until the 20th century, possibly inspired by the French Avril, seen as a variant of Averil.

April 1 is April Fool's Day, when people play light-hearted jokes and hoaxes on one another.

Although the ultimate origin is unsure, it most likely lies in the name Annabel or Anabella. Arabella was likely a misspelling or a spelling change which first made its appearance in the 1600's and caught on. It appeared in both England and Scotland in re

Ariana is an Italianate form of the name Ariadne.

Ariana Afghan Airlines is the national airline company of Afghanistan. There are also several Afghan television channels named Ariana. Ariana is a variant of Aryan, the name given to the Ind

The name is borne by French-American actress Arielle Dombasle and American actress Arielle Kebbel.

Variant spelling of Ashley.

Variant spelling of Ashley.

This may also be an elaboration of the name Ashley.

Variant spelling of Ashley.

Variant spelling of Ashley.

Anglicisation of the Irish name Aisling.

The word Asia may ultimately come from an Assyrian element for 'east'. It is sometimes used as a first name but belongs primarily to a continent.

Compound name, from the elements 'as', which relates to the Aesir [a group of gods formed around Odin] and 'trud', 'fair' or 'beautiful'. It was the name of one of the Valkyries.

St Etheldreda is also known as St Audrey. She was an East Anglian princess who formed the monastery of Ely, and became its first Abbess. The word 'tawdry' comes from St Audrey. Admirers of St Audrey brought lacework to the annual fair in Ely, this later b

A variant of Audrianna.

Variant on the traditional Audrey, made popular by V.C Andrews book "My Sweet Audrina" and reality show personality Audrina Patridge on MTV's "The Hills".

The aurorae are coloured lights that appear in the night sky in the polar zones. They are the result of the collision of charged ions from the magnetosphere with atoms in the upper atmosphere. They were named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn.

One of the four seasons, known as 'fall' in North America. As part of Vivaldi's 'Four seasons' concerto set, Autumn is in F major, and features the harvest and the hunt.

This name could be a respelling of Eva.

St Ava was a 9th century nun, the daughter of Pepin II of Aquitaine.

It has become more popular in the USA since the late 1980s, and in 2006 was the fifth most popular name.

English transcription of Hebrew Elah, meaning "Oak tree", "pistachio tree" or "terebinth tree". Another recorded Hebrew meaning is "goddess". Ayla is also a Turkish name derived from the term "ay," meaning "moon." It is often claimed that Ayla literally

The patron saint of miners, sailors and architects, St. Barbara is called upon to defend them against untimely death like lightning strikes.

Barbara of Portugal was the Queen consort of Spain in the 18th century. She had, in total, 8 baptis

Respelling of Bailey.

Italian and French form of Beatrix, which is probably a form of the early Christian name Viatrix, altered to incorporate the Latin 'beatus' (blessed).

Beatrice is a character of Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing". It was also the n

Nickname for Rebecca.

The origin and meaning of Belinda is still uncertain, but it very likely comes from the Germanic lindi meaning "serpent" and Latin bellus meaning "beautiful."

Belinda loses a lock of her hair in Alexander Pope's satirical poem "The Rape of

Short form of '-bella' names such as Isabella or Annabella. It is also the Italian and Spanish feminine adjective for 'beautiful'.

'Bella' was the name of a 2006 film by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde.

Bearers include American po

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

Nickname for Elizabeth.

Hurricane Betsy, which occurred in 1965, was the first American hurricane to cause more than a billion dollars of damage.

Notable bearers include actress Betsy Blair and Betsy Ross, who supposedly sewe

Beyonce is a modern invention and comes from the French surname Beyincé. Beyonce has been made popular by actress and singer Beyonce Knowles.

Brenna's origins and meanings are still very much up for debate, but the Welsh origin seems the most likely.

Modern feminine form of Brian

Bríd was the name of a Celtic fire goddess. St Brigid or Bridget of Kildare was a 5th century saint, who formed the monastery at Kildare. Many of the qualities associated with Bríd have since become associated with her.

St Bridget or Birgi

Elaboration of Bridget.

Modern creation extrapolated from the name Gabrielle.

Short form of Gabrielle or a combination of 'Bri' from Bridget or Brittany with the 'elle' suffix.

Brielle is the name of a town in the Netherlands.

Cadence means flow or rhythm as applied to language, music, or movement. In music, a cadence is a sequence of notes which indicates the end of a phrase. In the military, a cadence is a chant performed while marching or drilling. This noun has recently be

A nickname for Cal-names such as Calandra, Calanthe, Calista etc.

A modern feminine form of Carl or a pet form of names such as Carlene. Also often found as a surname.

A modern feminine form of Carl or a pet form of names such as Carlene.

A modern feminine form of Carl or a pet form of names such as Carlene.

Variation on Caroline under influence of Lynn.

A nickname to Car-names such as Caroline, Carissa, etc. Also may be used as a name in its own right, perhaps as a alternate spelling to Kerry.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Cassius. It may also be derived from the name of the flowering spice tree of the same name (also sometimes known as Senna).

Nickname for Cass- names such as Cassandra.

A French form of Katherine commonly used in English. Catherine is the name of several important Christian saints, and has been used by European royal families for centuries.

Catrina is an anglicised form of Catríona, a Scottish and Irish form of Katherine.

Variant spelling of Cecilia. Cecelia Ahern is an Irish author and daughter of current Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

Saint Cecilia, patroness of music, was martyred in the third century. Cécilia Sarkozy is the wife of current French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Celia might be a short form of Cecilia, from the Latin meaning "blind".

Celia is also an Italian and Spanish name derived from the Latin 'caelum' meaning "heaven".

In Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' Celia is the daughter of D

Charlotte is a feminine form of the name Charles; though often interpreted as "woman" or "feminine," Charlotte might equally be interpreted as "masculine." Many texts reconcile these differences by defining Charlotte as "strong woman." Whilst moderately

Chastity first gained popularity among the Puritans of England and the American colonies; it is one of the few virtue names that has survived to modern times.

Chelsea is a district of London, England and the name of several places in the States. A Chelsea Bun is a type of cake, formed in the shape of a spiral and made of a yeast dough with a sweet glaze.

A famous bearer is Chelsea Clinton, daught

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

The Spanish word for heaven. Some have used this word as a name.

A modern misspelling of the name Sierra, possibly influenced by the Irish name Ciara (pronounced "KEER uh")

The origins and meaning for this name are unknown. Very well could be nothing more than a phoenetic pronunciation of the initials "C. G."

It is doubtless that the popularity of this name, which showed up on the US popularity charts in the e

The English form of the Greek byname for the goddess Artemis.

Phonetic respelling of the Aztec Citlali.

"Claire" is the French feminine adjective for "clear."

Claire is the name of a computer programming language; "Claire's" is a well-known accessories store in the U.S and UK. Famous bearers include actress Claire Danes and US senator Claire

Clara is a town in Offaly, in the middle of Ireland. Famous Claras include American nurse Clara Barton (born Clarissa Barton) who organized the American Red Cross, and German pianist Clara Schumann, wife of the Romantic composer Robert Schumann.

From the Latin 'clarus' (bright, clear distinguished).

Clare is a county in south-west Ireland. Saint Clare of Assisi was a follower of St Francis. She formed the Poor Clares order.

Clare Short and Clare Martin are politici

St Claudia was supposedly the mother of the second pope, Linus. Claudia Schiffer is a German supermodel, and Claudia Winkleman is a British TV presenter. The real first name of 'Lady Bird' Johnson (wife of US President Lyndon Johnson) was Claudia.

Respelling of Cody.

From the Irish 'colleen' meaning 'girl'. It is not used as a given name in Ireland; the popularity of the name seems to originate in North America. It also enjoys considerable popularity in Australia.

From the Greek 'korè' meaning 'girl'. The term 'korè' was used for certain female statues in ancient Greek sculpture. Her male counterpart was the so-called 'kouros'.
In Greek mythology Cora was a byname of the goddess Persephone and it was the na

Corinne Bailey Rae is an English singer-songwriter. Corinne Robinson was the younger sister American president Theodore Roosevelt, and aunt of Eleanor Roosevelt. The name was particularly popular in France in the 1960s.

Diminuative for any feminine name starting with 'Cor' such as Corrine, Coral, Corabel, Cordelia, etc.

Many English speakers became familiar with this name through the Whoopi Goldberg movie "Corrina, Corrina."

Modern respelling of Kristin or Kristen which first became popular in the early 1970's.

Derived from the Greek "krystallos," "ice."

In ancient times Cynthia was a cult title of the Greek god Apollo (from Mount Kynthos on Delos, the island on which Apollo was born) and not used as a girl's first name. The Latin elegist Propertius did write love poetry to a woman called Cynthia, but he

Daisy can also be a nickname for Margaret. The French word for "daisy" is "marguerite," and English speakers have historically adopted this parallel for themselves, translating "Margaret" into "Daisy" (though in English, these two names have no true etym

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.

Said to be a play on the word "Darling", although that is not substantiated in any way. Made extremely popular in the USA by the character "Darla" in the well known American comedy series "The Little Rascals".

Dawn was an extremely popular name in the 1960s and 70s. The multiple pronunciations listed cover a range of accents.

Aglicization or respelling of Dina.

Delia is the feminine form of the Latin Delius, from the Greek place name Delos, a small Aegean island and the legendary birthplace of the divine twins Artemis and Apollo. In ancient times Delia was a cult title of Apollo and not used as a girl's first na

Nickname for Demetria which has become vogue to use as a "stand alone" name in the USA, probably from the popularity of actress Demi Moore.

Famous Denises include actresses Denise Richards and Denise van Outen. Denise Levertov was a poet, whose work was, in particular, critical of the Vietnam War. Denise Lewis is a British Olympic gold-winning heptathlete.

From the English word which is ultimately derived from the Latin word "destinare," meaning "to determine".

The name of the daughter of Jacob and Leah in the Bible. Also a diminutive of many Spanish female names ending in "dina" such as Bernardina and Geraldina.

Can also be a nickname for the Russian name Dinara.

From the Anglo-Saxon eád-gyth, with 'eád' meaning 'good, prosperity, fortune, inheritance' and 'gyth' meaning 'battle' or 'strife'. Another possible meaning is 'warrior for the good'. Eadgyth was the name of the daughter of King Edgar (see Edgar). She is

Anglicized form of Eibhlín.
Originally used in Ireland as a form of Helen or Evelyn. Could also be related to Gaelic in which it means 'pleasant'.

Old French form of Greek Helen. Revived in Britain at the end of the 19th century and very popular in the 1950s, especially in Scotland.

In Arthurian legend, Elaine is a name shared by several different female characters, including King Art

Derived from French name Aliénor, which is of obscure meaning.

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204), whilst being a wealthy and powerful woman in her own right, was married to the King of France (Louis VII) and the King of England (Henry II). S

Elena is the Spanish and Italian form of Helen.

Bearers include the Infanta Elena of Spain, eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and tennis players Elena Dementieva and Elena Baltacha.

The name is particularly popular in Spa

Short form of Elisabeth.

Usual form of Elizabeth in European languages. It occurs commonly in English-speaking countries.

French diminutive of Elisabeth or feminine form of Elisée. Introduced to English-speaking countries in the later half of the 19th century.

The Lotus Elise is a sports car. Für Elise is a solo piano piece by Ludwig van Beethoven, it is not o

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

Ella originated as a short form of any of the various names containing the Germanic element ali (foreign, other).

Ella is now taken as a variant of Ellen, and also a possible nickname to other names with a strong el-sound in them.

Except for its roots to Helen this name can also be linked to more common El-names such as Eleanor.

There are various actresses named Ellen such as comedian Ellen DeGeneres, 'Grey's Anatomy' star Ellen Pompeo, Ellen Barkin and Academy awar

Variant spelling of Eliana.

Ellie is a nickname for El- names, most commonly Eleanor. As a stand-alone name it has only recently made the top 200 in the US, but it has seen great popularity in the UK, where it fell to 13th place in 2007.

Originally a pet form of Elizabeth, Elsa is now in common use as an independent given name. Elsa may also be taken as coming from the Hebrew meaning "joyful".

Elsa Schiaparelli was a fashion designer of the 1920s and 30s. Elsa was the name

A variant of Elissa, a short form of Elizabeth.

Respelling of Emily.

The word "emerald" derives from the Greek word "smaragdos," which means "green gemstone." Emeralds, a form of beryl, has been prized for centuries among cultures throughout the world.

Emerald is one of the birthstones for the month of May.

Emilee is a popular modern respelling of Emily.

From Aemilius, the name of a Roman noble family, which has been associated with as well the Greek aimulos' and the Latin 'aemulus' that mean 'soft; friendly' and 'emulating; rival' respectively.

Many Polish queens and princesses have had t

From the Latin Aemilia, a derivative of Aemilius, an old Roman family name believed to be derived from aemulus (trying to equal or excel, emulating, rival).

Another explanation concerning the meaning of the name could point in the direction

Emma might be a form of Erma, a short form of various names which begin with the Germanic element Erm(en), Irm(en) which can mean 'strong' but is more literally translated as "whole" or "universal".

For some, it is a diminutive of Emmanuell

This compound name combines the names "Emma" and "Lee" to become a form of "Emily."

Pet form of Emily or Emma.

Feminine of Eric, Erica is also the Latin name of the plant known in English as heather, but that word has a different origin.

A modern respelling of Erin.

Ultimately derives from a Latin word meaning "to be."

Latinate form of Eve, Eva was also used to Anglicize Aoife in Ireland, an old name believed to be derived from aoibh (beauty). Eabha is the Gaelic form of Eva.

Eva Braun was the companion and later the wife of Adolf Hitler. Eva Perón (also

The name Evangeline was invented by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for his Acadian epic poem, "Evangeline." Though it is derived from Greek elements [euangelion], its use is primarily in the English and French speaking worlds, particularly among the Acadian

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

Pet form of Eve or Evelyn. It is particularly popular in the UK, where it was the 15th most popular name in 2007. Over the course of five years it has shot up 46 places.

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

Fanny is a diminutive form of Frances, and so the English equivalent of the French Françoise. Due to its slang meanings in the USA and UK (meaning "rear end" or "bum") it is rarely found on anyone under the age of about 80.

In Arabic usage, Farrah is both a surname and a given name; in English usage, it is exclusively a first name. Farrah is also the name of a British indie-rock band.

Faye is derived from Middle English faie meaning "fairy", such as in the popular Arthurian figure of Morgan Le Fay.

Faye is also the English form of the old French Foy, meaning "faith" (from the Latin 'fides').
Sainte Foy was a Frenc

Famous bearers include actress Fiona Shaw, singer Fiona Apple, British journalist Fiona Bruce and Princess Fiona from the 'Shrek' films.

Fiona pinnata is the name of a species of sea slug. It is the only species belonging to the Fiona genu

The Latin term "Franciscus," meaning "Frenchman," derives from the Old French word "franc," which meant "free."

Frances or Fanny Burney was an English novelist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Three of her novels had names in the

Lady Gabriella Windsor is the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, and is a member of the British royal family. The main female character in Disney's 'High School Musical' is Gabriella Montez.

Gabrielle Union is an actress, and Gabrielle Giffords is a member of the American House of Representatives for Arizona.

Gabrielle is particularly popular in Quebec, where it was the 6th most popular name in 2006.

St Geneviève is the patron saint of Paris. She lived in the 5th century and was renowned for her piety. She persuaded the people of Paris not to flee when attack by the Hun army seemed imminent (she was proved correct when instead the army instead attacke

Georgia is a country in Eurasia, between Russia and Turkey.

The American state of Georgia was named after King George II of England.

South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands are an inhospitable group of islands in the souther

Gianna is a nickname for Giovanna.

Used as either a pet form of Virginia or as a name coming from the spice. The English name of the spice comes from an Indo-European word.

People with red hair are sometimes referred to as being "ginger".

'Giselle' is a ballet about an innocent maiden (Giselle) who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a peasant (Albrecht), who is secretly engaged to another woman. When Giselle discovers this she goes mad and dies. She later saves Albrecht from wilis

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 Grimm's fairy tale, Gretel and her brother Hansel were captured by a witch after stumbling across a gingerbread house in the forest. The witch plans to eat the children but the children manage to trick her and make their escape.

Greta a

In medieval European lore, Griselda was the wife of nobleman who tolerated any annoyance or grief he caused her. She is known in several literary works, including the Canterbury Tales and the Decameron, as "Patient Griselda."

English translation of the Welsh Gwynedd. Made popular in modern times by its association with American actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

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,

'Heidi' is a children's story by Joanna Spyri, set in the mountains of Switzerland. Its sequels were written by Spyri's English translator Charles Tritten. Heidi is also the name of a character in Stephenie Meyer's 'Twilight' series of novels. The charact

The English name Helen comes from the ancient Greek Helene. In Greek mythology it famously belonged to Helen of Troy, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta who caused the Trojan War by sailing to Troy with Paris. For a discussion on the etymology of the nam

Helena of Constantinople (also known as St Helena) was the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine I, the first Christian emperor. She became a saint due to her piety, and is supposed to have found the relics of the true cross. British folklore states that sh

The holly is a type of plant with red berries and a serrated leaf edge. It is usually associated with Christmas - especially with the song: 'The Holly and the Ivy'.

Holly Hunter is an Academy Award winning, or Oscar winning, actress. Holly

Hope was the 200th most popular name in the USA in 2006, including #75 in Hawaii. 'The Hope' is the English name of the Israeli National Anthem.

A variant of Imogene that has that became popular in the twentieth century.

In Greek mythology, Eirene or Irene was the goddess who personified peace. Although she did not play an active part in many myths, Eirene was still a source of inspiration for several ancient artists, writers, and poets. Child of Zeus and Themis, the godd

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

There have been various queens named Isabella. Isabella of Castile laid the foundations for the unification of Spain, with her husband Ferdinand of Aragon. They reconquered Granada, and patronised Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to America. She w

Isabelle is the French version of Isabel, and incorporates the word 'belle' - French for beautiful. Isabelle Adjani is a French actress.

Ivy (or hedera) is a genus of climbing evergreen plants. Poison ivy is unrelated to the hedera ivies.

The Ivy League is an association of universities located in the north-eastern United States.

The etymology of the names Iyana and Iyanna are hard to trace. They are undoubtable modern coinages, but the roots are hard to determine. They could be modern variants of the Celtic Iana; or possibly Aiyanna, which also had a very blurred etymology. Rega

Jacqueline is the feminine form of Jacques, the French form of James.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was the wife of assassinated American President John F Kennedy. She was noted for her style and grace. Following the death of Kennedy she married

Common English variant of Jacqueline.

The name Janiah and it's counterparts are modern coinages that were probably created merely to attain a certain sound and therefore have no meaning. Possibly inspired by the popularity of the name Mariah. Janaya has recently become a popular name in Canad

The name Janiah and it's counterparts are modern coinages that were probably created merely to attain a certain sound and therefore have no meaning. Possibly inspired by the popularity of the name Mariah.

English form of Jeannine, a pet form of Jeanne.

The name Janiah and it's counterparts are modern coinages that were probably created merely to attain a certain sound and therefore have no meaning. Possibly inspired by the popularity of the name Mariah.

Jasmine is the name of a flower. In the Disney film Aladdin, Jasmine is the name of one of the main characters.

Jennifer joined the US top 1000 names in 1938. It rose until in 1970 it was the #1 name in USA, it held that place until 1985 and has been in decline ever since. In 2006 it was the 51st most popular name in America.

Famous bearers include

Jerica may be based on the name Jericho. It is more likely that it is a elaboration on the name Erica or Ericka, however. More than likely to produce a sound that might be pleasant, but there is no true meaning.

Jessica first appeared in the Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice' and her origins are much debated. It is possible that Jessica comes from the Hebrew name found in the Bible as Iscah, which was translated in Shakespeare's time as Jesca.

Ha

'Jack and Jill' is a nursery rhyme.

Joann can also be a contraction of Joan or Josephine and Ann.

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

This name became popular in the U.S. in the mid-twentieth century, but has recently fallen out of favor. Jolene appears to be the name Jo or Joe with the feminine -lene suffix attached; it became popular along with other -ene names like Charlene.

Modern American English variant respelling of the classic Georgia.

Josephine is an English and French feminine form of the name Joseph.

Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, is an early bearer of this name. She was born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, and her first husb

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

Julia is a feminine form of the name Julius; this name was given to every female in the Julius family in ancient Rome. Julia was the name of several early Christian saints and martyrs. Julia was also the name of a character in William Shakespeare's "Two G

St Juliana of Nicodemia was a Christian martyr of the 4th century, a patron saint of childbirth and sickness, particularly popular in the Netherlands.

Juliana was also the name of the Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication

Julianne Moore is an American actress, and Julianne Regan is the lead singer of the band 'All About Eve'.

Famous Julies include actresses Julie Andrews, Julie Delpy and Julie Walters.

Julie was the 3rd most popular name in Norway in 2006, as well as being the 4th most popular in Belgium and 10th in Denmark.

Juliet is the name of the ill-fated heroine of Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet". A moon of the planet Uranus is named after this character.

Juliet is the NATO Phonetic Alphabet word for the letter 'J'.

Juliet Steven

Karen is the Danish form of Katherine.

Karen is also the name of the an ethnic group that lives in Eastern Myanmar and Thailand.

Famous bearers include singer Karen Carpenter, model Karen Elson and author Karen Blixen.

The popularity and use of this name can be attributed to the mexican born Karyme Lozano, one of the most recognizable actresses involved in international television. Another case of this same kind of popularity can be evidenced in the name Arleth.

This nickname of Katherine has been borne by New Zealand suffragette Kate (Katherine) Sheppard, supermodel Kate (Katherine) Moss, singer Kate (Catherine) Bush and actresses Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, Kate (Kathryn) Beckinsale, author Kate Chopin and Kate

From the Greek Aikaterine of uncertain origin, but associated with the Greek 'katharos' (pure). The name Katherine has been popular since the Dark Ages, and was used by many European royal families over the centuries.

Katherine Swynford wa

In the USA, there are currently two state governors named Kathleen: Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas.

Kathleen Turner is an American actress.

Anglicisation of Caitríona or a form of Katherine.

Hurricane Katrina occurred in 2005, devastating, in particular, New Orleans and Mississippi. The cost of reconstruction following the hurricane was set at $10.5 billion - making it the most

A short form of Michaela (McKayla), or perhaps an elaboration on Kayley.

Kaylee was the name of a well-loved character on the short lived American television series "Firefly." It was used as a nickname for Kaywinnit.

The name Kayleen is a combination of the name Kay and the popular mid-century feminine suffix "-leen" or "-lene." It may also be influenced by the name Colleen.

Kaylynn is a modern invention and is most likely a combination of the name Kay and the name Lynn.

Likely an alternative spelling on Kenya.

A modern invention originating in Australia.

Respelling of the traditional Chloe made particularly popular in 2008 by Khloe Kardashian, reality TV personality.

The name Kimberley derives from many sources, and its meaning therefore varies widely. It can mean "Cyebald's forest clearing," "royal forest clearing," and "royal fortress in the forest clearing," among other things. The common element in all these mea

German pet form of Kristina.

From the surname, Lassy

Alternate spelling of Lacey.

Pet form of Elaine

Modern coinage of unknown origin. Could possibly be a modern variation on the traditional Aisha. Boosted in modern popularity in the US by Mexican actress Laisha Wilkens.

The origin of this name is unknown. It is possibly from Alana or Alan and in Latin the word lana means "wool". However, there's no definite connection to this name.

Larissa is a Greek city, the capital of Thessaly. It is situated in an area that has been inhabited for 12000 years. Larissa is also the name of a moon of Neptune. In Greek mythology, Larissa was a nymph from Thessaly.

This spelling variation is rarely used as simpler forms have taken its place.

In the 19th century, this name relates from the Middle English word for tree, "lorel" although the name was also recorded in the 16th century as a pet form of Laura.

There are various trees that contain laurel in their name, but the Bay Lau

This name is thought to have first come into popular use with the actress Lauren Bacall who starred in films with Humphrey Bogart in the 1940's. The name was wildly popular in the 1960's and peaked again in the late 1980s. Originally a rarely used pet f

Alternate spelling of Lauren.

In Persian and Arabic poetry, Layla was a beautiful girl with whom the poet Majnun fell in love. When Majnun asked for her hand in marriage, Layla's father refused to give his permission to the match. Layla was married off to another man and later died.

This name may come from the name, Lee or in more modern terms it could also be a nickname for Azalea.

Léa is also the French form of Leah, it is pronounced LAY ah. It is currently a popular name in France, and in Quebec.

In E

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

This is the feminine form of Leander.

Possibly a converted spelling of Liane but more likely the simple combination of Lee and Anne.

Princess Leia is a fictional character of the Star Wars galaxy.

Leila is a common Persian name that has recently gained a measure of popularity in the English-speaking world.

One famous bearer of this name was Leona Helmsley, a New York real estate developer who became infamous as the "Queen of Mean."

A nickname for Alexandra, Alexis or Alex.

A name coming from a brand of luxury cars. The word Lexus itself has no meaning and was created as something pleasing to the ear that would be easily remembered. Lexus was used in the first part of the 21st century and is part of a trend to use luxury b

Shortened form of names ending in -lia, such as Rosalia, but also Cornelia, Julia etc. In the English speaking world it could be an alternate spelling for Leah.

This name started as a nickname for Elizabeth but is now used as a given name on its own.

Simple spelling for Leila.
As a Sanskrit name, Lila [lee-LAH] was the name of a queen who was enlightened by the Goddess Saraswati.

Lillian Bounds was the wife of animator Walt Disney. Lillian Gish and Lillian Roth were American actresses, and Lillian Hellman was a playwright. The name was most popular around 1900, and these four examples of bearers of the name Lillian were all born w

Lily is the name of a flower and is ultimately derived from the Latin word lilium. They are often showy, with a noticeable scent and long stamens. 'Lily' is also used in the names of other plants such as the water lily (Latin name Nymphaeaceae) - which fl

The Linda used in English is of modern coinage and uncertain derivation.

This short form of Elisabeth is extremely popular as a full given name.

Also used as a Russian nickname for Larisa.

Alternate spelling for Laurie, Lori etc.

This surname became a popular first name in Scotland in the 19th century.

Louise is a popular feminine form of the name Louis; it is used in all English-speaking and French-speaking countries, and is commonly found across Europe. Louise is a common name in European royal families. Saint Louise de Marillac was born in France i

Saint Lucia is an island in the Caribbean. It was named after Saint Lucy (Lucia) of Syracuse.

Saint Lucia enjoys a high degree of popularity in Scandinavian countries, where her feast day is celebrated every December 13th. Her connection

Lucille Ball was an American comedian and actress, famous for her show 'I love Lucy'.

Lucy can be used as a full name, or as a nickname for names such as:

Lucille
Lucinda
Lucine
Lucia
Lucasta
Lucetta or
Lucretia.

Oddly, it is also used in Russia as a nickname for Taty

Luna is the Latin word for moon, and was the name of Roman goddess of the moon, who is usually identified with the Greek goddess Selene.

Luna Lovegood is a character in the 'Harry Potter' books.

Luna was the 10th most popula

A variant of Lila. It is the name of a song by the British band Oasis. A respelling of the traditional Lila.

Variant of Madeleine.

English form of French Madeleine, itself from Magdalene.

The 'Madeline' books were written by Ludwig Bemelmans, and follow the adventures of a young girl living in Paris.

Madeline Kahn was an American actress.

A modern phonetic spelling of Madeline or Madeleine.

A modern phonetic spelling of Madeline or Madeleine.

Modern trendy American English respelling of the classic Megan.

Latinate form of Madgalene.

Comes from the name Malaya, which is a comination of two Tamil words, Malay or Malai (hill) and ur (town); thus meaning "hilltown".

Latin feminine of Marcellus, a diminutive of Marcus. In regular use in the English-speaking countries since the 1860s.

The most famous Marcella is probably "the most beautiful creature ever sent into the world", in Don Quixote by Cervantes.

Feminine form of Marcius, a variant of Marcus, which is derived from Mars, the Roman mythological god of war.
Of English and Spanish usage, as well as Portuguese when spelt Márcia.

Pet form of Marcia.

Pet form of Marcia.

Marcy is sometimes found in historical documents as an alternate spelling of the name Mercy.

English form of the latinised Greek name meaning "pearl".

An extremely common name from the Middle Ages onwards.

St Margaret of Antioch was a virgin martyr, there is little evidence to suggest that she actually existed, but h

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

Latinized form of Marian adopted in the 19th century.

Compound name formed of Maria and Anna.

French cognate of Maria; French form of Mary.

Also the earlier form of the name in England until the Authorized version of the Bible established Mary as the English spelling.

Marie was the name of various queens of France, in

From the French Marielle; pet form of Marie.
Commonly used as an independent given name.

It may also be a variant of Muriel or Meriel.

Elaborated form of Mary with the feminine suffix -lyn. Marilyn might have been a blend of Mary and Ellen.

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress of the 1950s, she committed suicide in 1962. Marilyn Manson is the stage name of musician Brian

A feminine form of the Roman family name Marinus.

The name is derived from Marius (from the god Mars), but is identical to the Latin adjective 'marinus' meaning "of the sea", and therefore commonly associated to it.

Marina is

20th century elaborated form of Maria, with the feminine suffix -isa abstracted from such names as Lisa or Louisa.
It may also have been influenced by the Dutch pet form Maryse, or the Latin created name Maris.

Marissa is either a variant of Marisa, which is an elaboration upon Maria with the '-isa' suffix from names such as Louisa and Lisa or it is an elaboration of Maris - from the Latin phrase 'stella maris' meaning "star of the sea", Maris is one of the titl

Usual modern spelling of Margery.

It seems to have arisen as the result of popular etymological association of the name with that of the herb marjoram. This word is of uncertain origin; its Middle English and Old French form was majorane, w

Phoenetic respeling of Marquita. Modern coinage.

Variant respelling of Marlon.

Blend of Maria and Madgalene, used by the German actress Marlene Dietrich as her stage name.

Variant of Marcia.

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

Modern coinage which is probably a spin off of Martina or any other name beginning with "Mart" such as Marta.

Feminine form of Martinus. The name is popular throughout Europe.

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.

Latinized form of Mathilda.

Matilda of Flanders was Queen consort of the Kingdom of England and the wife of William the Conqueror.

"Matilda," by Roald Dahl, is a children's book about a girl with extraordinary mental powers.<

Mattie was a very common nickname for Matilda in the 18th century in Britain. It fell out of use in the 19th century before having a brief, unexplained rise in popularity in the 1940s.

Of Celtic origin, perhaps derived from the Gaelic 'mohr' (great).
It is also used as an Anglicized form of Máire.

Alternatively, Maura is a feminine form of the Latin Maurus (dark-skinned).

Anglicized form of Máirín.

Megan is a Welsh diminutive form of Margaret, from Greek 'margaron', "pearl", and thus means "little pearl".

The form may have been borrowed from, or given rise to such abbreviated forms as Meg, Maggie and Mags.

In USA, Megan

Modern name, formed with the first syllable of names such as Melanie or Melissa, with the addition of the popular suffix -inda.

Some believe it to be a blend of specifically Melanie and Linda, a Spanish name meaning beauty, others see it as

From the Greek "honey bee".

In Greek mythology, this was the name of a nymph that saved Zeus from his father, Cronus.

The 16th century Italian poet Ariosto used the name for a good fairy in his poem "Orlando Furioso."

Variant of Melissa.

English word, derived from the French 'melodie', from the Greek.

Mia is the Danish and Swedish pet form of Maria, and is also commonly used as an independent given name. In other languages it is used as a nickname for Maria, and sometimes Amelia, among others. Mia is a possessive form in Italian and Spanish, and in som

Latinate feminine form of Michael.

French feminine form of Michel; variant of Michèle.

The name is now also used extensively in the English-speaking world.

It was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, possibly influenced by the famous Beatles song "Michelle".

Derived from an Old English name, meaning "gentle strength, mild power".
The name was borne by a 7th century saint and abbess.

Phoenetic respelling of the Hawaiian name Maile.

Miley has been gaining in popularity due to the celebrity of Miley Cyrus and her character Hannah Montana. In her case, the name was a nickname given to her by her father, "Smiley".

Pet form shared by several names including Millicent, Mildred and Camilla.
It is also used independently.

Mira is an Indian name, from the Sanskrit for "prosperous".

It is a short form of any of the names containing the Slavonic element 'meri' (great, famous - from a Latin source, 'mirus' or 'astonishing'). Mira is also commonly bestowed as an

Miranda was created by Shakespeare for his play "The Tempest" from the feminine form of the Latin gerundive 'mirandus' (admirable, lovely), from the verb 'mirari' (to wonder at, to admire). This gives the meaning "she who must be admired".

Miriam is the form of the Hebrew Miryam most commonly found in English. In the Old Testament Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron.

Its meaning is disputed. It may come from the Hebrew 'leharim' (to raise), thus giving "she who raises".

Modern coinage based on the word misty (foggy, misty).
The name first became popular during the 1960s and 1970s.

It may also be thought of as a pet form of Melissa.

Anglicized form of Máire.

Pet form of Mary used independently.

The song 'Molly Malone' or 'Cockles and Mussels' is popular in Ireland, where it is considered to be an unofficial Irish national anthem.

Famous bearers include actresses Molly Ringwald,

Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Muadhnait, a diminutive form of muadh (noble); hence, the meaning "little noble one".

It has sometimes been taken as connected with Greek monos (single, only) or chosen with reference to Leonardo Da Vinci'

Ancient name of uncertain etymology.

Monica was the name of the mother of St. Augustine, who was burn in Numidia. Thus the name might be of African origin. However, Monica is said to have been a citizen of Carthage, a city founded by the Ph

Modern respelling of Maia.

Although the name Myla is growing in popularity, its roots are entirely obscure. Likely a modern coinage with no known meaning, but could have been modeled after the masculine Miles or Myles. Other sources feel it could be a spin on the traditional Mila.

Anglicized spelling of the Hawaiian Maile.

The name was invented in the 17th century by the poet Fulke Greville for use in his love poems.
He perhaps based it on Latin 'myron' from the Greek (myrrh, onguent - a sweet smelling oil), creating a feminine form of Myron.
It has also been

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

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!"

Famous Natashas include actresses Natasha Richardson and Natasha Lyonne, singer Natasha Bedingfield and British newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky.

"Nautica" derives from the Latin term "nauticus," meaning "sailor" or "navigator." Nautica is a well-known brand of clothing in the U.S.

Nicole is a feminine form of Nicholas. Bearers include actress Nicole Kidman, socialite Nicole Richie and singer Nicole Appleton.

A Russian and Polish nickname for Anne, Antonia, and names ending with -nina. Also a Swahili name meaning "mother."

In geographical terms, La Niña is a fluctuation in ocean surface temperature, the opposite to El Niño. La Niña is character

An invented name of uncertain origin which gained later popularity in Britain as a feminine form of Norman.

"Nova" is perhaps best known for being the name of a model of Chevrolet. It is derived from the Latin word for "new."

Invented by Shakespeare for his play "Twelfth Night." Olivia was either meant to be a female form of Oliver or derived from the vocabulary word 'olive' which is a symbol of peace. Olivia was the fifth most popular name for girls in the US in 2005, and the

Lyrical translation and modernization of the Hebrew Ofra. Most widely associated with American journalist and celebrity Oprah Winfrey.

'La Paloma' is a song by Sebastián Iradier, composed following a visit to Cuba.

Paloma is the daughter of Pablo Picasso. She appeared in several of his paintings such as 'Paloma in Blue'.

Pamela was created by the 16th century English poet and statesman Sir Philip Sidney for the name of a character in his pastoral "Arcadia". It's possible that the meaning is "honeyed sweetness" or "honey."

Pamela was later the name of Br

From the Latin 'pati' (to suffer).

Patience is another name for the card game Solitaire.

The 1990 census placed Patricia as the 2nd most popular name in USA, accounting for just over 1% of all girls' names. Patricia peaked between the 1930s and mid-1960s when it was in the top 10.

There are several actresses named Patricia, in

Recently popular in Poland.

St Paula was a follower of St Jerome. Paula Abdul is an American singer and judge on the show 'American Idol'. Paula Radcliffe is a British runner, the current holder of the women's marathon world record. Paula Y

The French name Pauline has a double etymology. It is a diminutive form of Paule, the feminine form of Paul, but it may also be derived from the Roman family name Paulinus.

In literature Pauline appears in Noel Streatfeild's classic childre

Pearl is also a surname, and was used with some frequency on boys in the early twentieth century. Its use as a masculine name faded as Pearl grew in popularity as a feminine name.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" protagonist H

It was common in the Middle Ages to exchange Ps for Ms in nicknames. Thus Margaret or "Meg" was transformed into "Peg" or "Peggy." The same exchange can be seen with Polly, a common nickname for Mary (via "Molly.")

In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus who waited for him to return to her for twenty years. She avoided remarriage by claiming she would not remarry until she had completed her father-in-law's funeral shroud; every night, she unraveled pa

In Greek mythology Phoebe was the Titan mother of Leto, who was in turn mother of Apollo and Artemis. In popular culture Phoebe is a character from the popular sitcom Friends.

Phonetic spelling of Portia.

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

A modern trendy respelling of Kiana.

Modern trendy respelling of Kiana.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, Rachel was a wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

Famous bearers include actresses Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, and artist Rachel Whiteread. Rachel Green was a character on the TV sitco

A nickname for Rachael or a feminine form of Ray. Possibly also taken from the vocabulary word 'ray' or the Scottish surname (Mac)Rae.

Of Scandanavian origin, a shortened form of an old name from the elements 'regin', and 'frid', meaning 'counsel' and 'beautiful' respectively.

Medieval female personal name (from Old French reine ‘queen').

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 name is very popular in southern Poland.

Regina was one epithet of the Roman goddess Juno. It is also the name of a city in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Can also be a nickname for names like Serena.
The Japanese name Rena (pronounced REH nah) may be written with the characters for "actor" (re) and "Nara; what?" (na).

Rhiannon is the goddess of horses in Welsh mythology. Rhiannon is also the title of a Fleetwood Mac song.

A modern coinage formed by blending the name Rhoda and Rhona. However, it is often taken as a Welsh name - 'rhon' (pike, lance) + 'da' (good).

Pet form of Margarita, and also a Sanskrit name meaning "righteous".

May also be a respelling of Rachelle.

Rosa is the Latin name and the name of the genus of the rose plant.

Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights leader, who famously refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, wh

From the Latin and Italian Rosalia, an elaborated form of Rosa.

Rosalia is also an Ancient festival during which garlands of roses were laid to honor the memory of fallen soldiers.

Combination of Rose and Anna.

The rose (or Latin 'rosa') is a flowering shrub. They come in a variety of different forms such as the hybrid tea, floribunda and damask. Roses are seen as symbols of love and beauty, and are also associated with the Virgin Mary.

A rose win

Rosemary is a herb and a member of the mint family.

'Rosemary's Baby' is a horror novel by Ira Levin. It was made into a film in 1968 by Roman Polanski. Rosemary is the main character of the story.

Rosemary Clooney was an Am

Rosie is typically a nickname for names beginning with Rose. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", Rosie Cotton was a hobbit who married Samwise Gamgee.

Rosie O'Donnell is a talk show host, actress and comedian. Rosie Perez is a fam

Roxana is from Roxane, the Greek form of a presumably Persian name belonging to the Bactrian wife of Alexander the Great. In 2005 Roxana sat low in the top 1000 girls' names in the US.

Modern spelling of the classic Ruby.

Whilst remaining moderately popular in the US (ranked 137th in 2006), Ruby has shot up the British charts and in 2007 was the second most popular name in the UK.

Ruby Sweetheart is the name of actor Tobey Maguire's daughter.

Of uncertain etymology, most think it is derived from a contraction of the Hebrew re'uth ("companion, friend"). The name is borne in the Bible by the wife of Mahlon and daughter-in-law of Naomi. After the death of her husband, father-in-law, and brother-i

Sabrina is linked to the River Severn in England, either through being the Goddess of the Severn, or being a nymph (also known as Hafren) who drowned in Severn, and so gave it her name. It is more likely that the character derived her name from the river,

This may also be a pet name for the Yoruba name Folasade meaning "honor earns a crown".

Originally a pet form of Sarah it now stands on its own.

Sahara is the name of a vast desert in North Africa.
Sahara may also be taken as derived from the Hebrew "sahar" meaning "moon".

As Samantha is likely an English variation on Samuel, it does not retain the original Hebrew meaning "heard by God," as it is not a Hebrew name.

Samantha is a relatively new name, arising in the latter part of the 18th century. It was popu

In the bible, there is a place named Samaria which could be where this name originates from. Samaria means "mountain lookout" or "watch mountain".

A samara is a flattened fruit, commonly called a 'helicopter' and found on trees such as the

Feminine form of Samir

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

Endearment of Sarah

Alternate spelling of Savannah.

A savanna (also spelled "savannah") is a large, grassy plateau. Savannah is the name of a large city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is also the name of a breed of cat.

Alternate spelling of Scarlett

Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of Margaret Mitchell's novel "Gone with the Wind". It is a little known fact that Scarlett's full name is "Katie Scarlett O'Hara", after her Irish father's mother.

Scarlett Johansson is a popular American

This word occurs seventy-one times in thirty-nine of the Psalms and is thought to indicate a pause for reflection similar to the word Amen.

Selene was the Greek goddess of the Moon.

Derived from the Latin "serenus"

Serena Williams is an American tennis player.

The Nissan Serena is a minivan or people carrier.

Serenity is a synonym for "peacefulness." It is the name of a popular science fiction movie, as well as a well-known U.S. brand of adult diapers.

A combination of the names Shay and Lynn.

Feminine form of Shakir

A modern American coinage with no known meaning.

Alternate spelling of Shannon.

From the popular Shay and La.

This name is a Gaelic form of Jeanne or Jane, which are feminine forms of John.

In Australia this is a slang term for "woman".

A possible variant of the classic Sheila, this modern coinage could also simply be a "name smush" of the popular elements "shy" and feminine suffix "la".

From legend, Rhea Silvia was the mother of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome.
St Silvia was the mother of Pope Gregory the Great.

This is the Irish form of Joan.

Scandinavian and Spanish spelling of Sophia.

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. It was named after the second oldest church in the capital, the Hagia Sophia or St Sofia Church.

Sofia Coppola is an American film director.

Soleil is not used as a first name in France. Marie-Soleil occurs in Québec.

Soleil Moon Frye is an American actress most notable for playing the title role in the 1980's television show "Punky Brewster".

Sonia Gandhi is the Italian-born President of the Indian National Congress. She is the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi. Both Rajiv and Indira Gandhi were Indian Prime Minister.

Sonia O'Sullivan is an Irish athlete.

Slavic form of Sonya.

"Red Sonja" is the name of a Marvel Comics heroine, and of a 1985 film featuring that character.

The name Sophia is derived from the Greek word for "wisdom." In early religious and philosophical texts, characters who personified wisdom are referred to as "Sophia figures."

Famous bearers include actress Sophia Loren, Sophia Myles and

Sophie is a traditional French name, derived from the Greek meaning "wisdom".

"Les Malheurs de Sophie" ("Sophie's Misfortunes") is a famous children's novel in France, written by Madame La Comtesse de Ségur and published in 1859.
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Stella is a character in Tennessee Williams' play 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.

As a product name, Stella Artois is a brand of Belgian beer, and Stella is a magazine produced by the British newspaper 'The Sunday Telegraph'.

F

This season name was recently used for the name of a character on the TV series 'The OC'.

Susan B Anthony was an American suffrage leader, who helped to secure the vote for women in USA. Susan Sarandon is an Oscar-winning actress.

Susan Pevensie is one of four siblings that find their way to Narnia in CS Lewis' 'The Lion, the W

From the Greek form of the Hebrew name Shoshanah, traditionally translated as "lily" or occasionally as "rose".

Suzanne is the French form of Susanna.

Sylvia is an alternate form of Silvia, though it is now more popular than the original in English-speaking contexts.

Sylvia Plath was an American poet and novelist, famous for works such as 'The Bell Jar'. She was married to English poet Te

Finnish nickname form of Tatiana.

Tanya is a nickname of Tatyana, which is probably derived from the Latin "Tatianus" or "Tatius," a family name of unknown definition.

Tawny describes a tan or ruddy color. Usually used in reference to the color of an animal's fur. It can be used as a nickname for the name Tanya or Tonya.

Tawny Kitaen is an American model and actress who was famous in the 1980's, particul

Pet form of the Russian name Taisiya.

Taya is mostly used in English-speaking countries as a modern coinage; the feminine form of Tay.

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

Also created as a feminine equivalent of Terry.

May also be of independent, though uncertain, origin.

In the UK, a TESSA is a type of bank account (a Tax-Exempt Special Savings Account).

Famous Tessas include British politician Tessa Jowell and actress Tessa Thompson.

Possibly from the Greek 'thelema' (wish, act of will). The name was probably coined by the author Marie Corelli in her novel "Thelma, A Norwegian Princess." The name does not have any apparently relation to the Norwegian language.

Modern coinage of uncertain derivation, although this word means 'aunt' in Spanish. Possibly taken from the end of names such as Laetitia.

Tocarra was a perfume made by the company Avon in 1981. After then it was used as a given name for a few years but has since fallen into disuse.

Tori is a nickname for Victoria. This nickname is not common in the UK, possibly because it sounds like Tory, an alternative name for the Conservative Party. It entered the US top 1000 as a stand alone name in 1959 and has been of fluctuating popularity e

Trinity is a vocabulary word meaning 'threefold'. In Christianity, the trinity refers to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, all of whom are part of the single being of God.

Trinity was the name of the main female character in 'The Mat

Modern feminine form of Tristan.
It is also the Portuguese feminine form of the adjectif "sad". Trista is also a common nickname or shortened form of the name Beatrice, which is derived from Beatrix and means essentially "traveller through life".

Una appears as a name in Spenser's "Faerie Queene," and her character is considered a personification of Truth and the Church. She is set up in opposition to the antagonist Duessa (from the Greek word for "two"), who is set up as the "False Church."

This name was coined by Jonathan Swift for his friend Esther Vanhomrigh. Other famous bearers include actress Vanessa Redgrave, singer Vanessa Carlton and actress and singer Vanessa Williams.

Vanessa is also the name of a genus of butterfly

Veronica is a genus of plants, the common name being speedwell.

Though not mentioned in any of the four Gospels, St Veronica was supposed to have given a handkerchief to Jesus as he carried the cross. The face of Jesus later appeared on th

Victoria was the Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike.

A notable bearer of this name is Queen Victoria who reigned between 1819 - 1901 and is the longest reigning British monarch. Victoria was not a common name when Qu

Violets are small plants, whose flowers are usually violet or purple in colour.

There are several fictional characters named Violet: in the comic 'Peanuts', Violet Beauregarde is a chewing-gum addict golden ticket winner in Roald Dahl's 'C

The American state of Virginia was named after English Queen Elizabeth I - known as the 'Virgin Queen' because she never married.

Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and Virginia Wade is a Wimbledon winning tennis player.

Of uncertain etymology, Wanda is generally believed to be of Germanic origin, perhaps from 'vond' (wand, stem, young tree) or from Wend, a term denoting a member of the old Slavic people who now live in an enclave south of Berlin.

Author

Wilhelmina is the feminine equivalent of the masculine Wilhelm, the German cognate of English William. The name comes from the Germanic elements 'wil' (will, desire) and 'helm' (helmet, protection). This German name became used in English-speaking countri

Very modern trendy name that is likely meant to be a shortened from of Alexandra.

Modern coinage which is probably just a trendy spelling of the name Zanna which is a form of Suzanna.

Variation on Xanthe, from the Greek word 'xanthos'.

Likely a modern trendy respelling of the Arabic Zara.

Very modern trendy coinage probably derived from the masculine Xavier.

Modern respelling of the legitimate Yasmina.

Zara is the name of a clothing store. Zara Phillips is the daughter of British Princess Anne, and a successful equestrian sportswoman.

Zella is a pet form of the German form of Marcella, Marzella. Zella was a very popular name from the 1880's to the late 1940's and early 1950's.

Zelma is an alternative spelling of the name Selma. Zelma was a popular name at the turn of the century in the US.

Zoe is a direct transliteration of the ancient Greek word 'zoe' (written 'zeta-omega-eta'). It is usually listed as meaning 'life', but it can also mean 'a (means of) living', 'subsistence', 'goods' or 'property'. It was the 54th most popular name for gir

A nickname for Abigail, and also a surname from Middle English originally used for someone who worked at an abbey. Abbey is also the name of a British bank.

Addison, which means 'son of Adam', is one of the surnames which has been enthusiastically taken up in the current trend to find 'unique' names for baby girls. It has been climbing the American charts since 1994 and in 2006 was the 27th most popular name

The Latin feminine form of Alan, but a unisex name in Hawaiian.

The name is borne by actress Alana de la Garza.

Alex can be a nickname for any name beginning with Alex- (e.g. Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis), but is commonly used as a full name in its own right.

This traditionally male name is now also used for girls in the English-speaking world. In modern Greece it remains a male name, which might more literally be transliterated as 'Alexes': in the Greek alphabet it is written 'alpha-lambda-epsilon-xi-eta-sigm

Alfie is a nickname for names beginning with 'Alf-', most commonly Alfred. In the UK Alfie has attained considerable success as a stand-alone name, and was ranked as the 16th most popular boy's name in 2006. It has not made the US top 1000 since the 1960s

Amanda is the feminine gerundive of the Latin verb 'amo' (I love) and thus literally means 'she who must be loved'. In the US, Amanda was particularly popular in the 1980s. Amanda can also be a male name which is Sanskrit in origin.

Notabl

Amari is a recent coinage that appears to possibly come from many different avenues, although it has no true meaning. It is closely related in sound to the name Imari which is likely a variation on the popular Imani. It could also be related somehow to

A feminine name in the English speaking world, but used for boys in Italy.

Examples of it being used as a female name include Irish singer Andrea Corr, and author Andrea Levy.

Male Andreas include singer Andrea Bocelli, pain

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

In a greater part of the world seen as a Latinate form of Hannah and used on females.

On the Indian subcontinent it is considered masculine and derived from the Sanskrit, meaning 'grain'. There was also a king of East Anglia named Anna.

A surname derived from a place name, which probably comes originally from a Celtic word meaning 'high'.

A place name and surname from the Old English words 'æsc' (ash) and 'leah' (wood). This name transferred from surname to male first name but in recent decades has become increasingly popular for girls.

From the Germanic name Alberic, composed from the elements 'alb' (elf) and 'ric' (ruler, king). This male name has gained popularity for females in recent times, probably due to its similarity with the female name Audrey.

Famous male beare

Augustine is the masculine English form of Augustinus, as well as the French feminine form of Augustin.

Augustine was a famous theologian and Doctor of the Church from Carthage, North Africa.

A bailey can also mean the outer wall of a castle, or the courtyard between the two outer walls of a castle.

Baileys Irish Cream is a whiskey and cream alcoholic drink.

Bailey features in the top 30 most popular names of most

English and Scottish surname from the Old English words 'brad' (broad) and 'leah' (wood, clearing).

The Bradley method is a way of natural childbearing developed by obstetrician Robert Bradley. More about it can be found on our sister site,

A surname from the Old French 'Bret', meaning a Breton (someone from Brittany).

Transferred use of the surname.

Bearers include the actress Brooke Shields and philanthropist Brooke Astor.

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

Modern respelling of the Scottish clan name Cameron.

Carol was occasionally used as a boys' name in the early twentieth century, but it is almost exclusively feminine today. It may come directly from the Latin "Carolus," or it may simply be a shortened form of Caroline.

Two examples of it be

Anglicised form of the Gaelic surname Ó Caiside ('descendant of Caiside'). This surname is currently also used as a first name for both genders. It was the surname of Wild West bank and train robber Butch Cassidy, and American singer Eva Cassidy.

Nickname for Chris- names.

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

Derived from the Irish surname of debated origin.
It may be derived from the Germanic first name Godfrey (God's peace), and may have been encouraged by the Gaelic 'cuairteoir' (visitor).
It might also come from the Gaelic 'coire' (a cauldro

A spelling variation of the male name Corey. As a female name it is a nickname of a Cor- name such as Cornelia or Cora.

This is the name of a county in the south of England. It comes from a British tribal name which may mean 'worshippers of the god Dumnonos'.

Variant of Ziya. The original transciption of the ancient name would have appeared to be this spelling, which is the reason for it. The name is masculine, but for some reason has been used on and is becoming popular for girls.

English noun used by some as a name.

Name of a man of the Levi tribe in later Biblical texts.

The Garden of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, lived after they were created by God.

Transferred use of the surname originating from the personal name Elis.
Since recent times considered as an Anglicized form of the Welsh name Elisud though still more widely seen as a Middle English variant of Elias, or a derivation of Elisha.

Erin is taken from the Gaelic Eirinn, meaning "of Eire" - Eire being the Irish name for Ireland. Erin was used as a poetic name for Ireland for several centuries but it is not normally bestowed as a given name in that country.

It became po

Of German roots, Evelyn is an English variant of Aveline. Aveline is itself related to Ava, Medieval short form of Germanic names beginning with the element "avi", of unknown meaning, possibly "desired".

It can also be considered a cognate

Nickname for Fred- names, mainly in male use.

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

The name Gillian is pronounced with a 'J' sound (hence its alternative spelling 'Jillian'), but it is occasionally found pronounced with a hard 'G'. Gillian Anderson is an American actress known for her role in TV show The X-Files.

Coming from the surname Hadley.

A common spelling of this name, it is found mostly on females. It was the 25th most popular name in the US in terms of spelling. If you go by sound and combine all the HAY lee pronunciations together (eg Hailey, Hayley, Haley, Hayleigh etc.) then Hailey (

Haley is a surname that has gained popularity as a first name for both sexes.

It was the 75th most popular female name in the US in terms of spelling. If you go by sound and combine all the HAY lee pronunciations together (eg Hailey, Hayley

Hali did not appear on the US top 1000 popular names in 2006 in terms of spelling. If you go by sound and combine all the HAY lee pronunciations together (eg Hailey, Hayley, Haley, Hayleigh etc.) then Hali (or HAY lee) was the 6th most popular name in Ame

Popularized in the US by actress Halle Berry.

A surname with two likely origins. Halley is both a diminutive of Hall from the French language and an Old English surname, likely referring to a place name. This place is unknown however.

Transferred use of the surname.

Nelle Harper Lee is the author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Stephen Harper is the current Prime Minister of Canada.

Harper's Magazine is a monthly American magazine, that deals with the arts, p

Simply the word used as a name.

Hayden is a variant of the surname Hadyn, spelled to reflect the usual English and Welsh pronunciation of the name. As a boys name, it was the 73rd most popular name in the United States. A famous bearer is Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen.

Originally a surname which was derived from the name of an English town.

It was the 306th most popular name in the US in terms of spelling. If you go by sound and combine all the HAY lee pronunciations together (eg Hailey, Hayley, Haley, Ha

Heather or Calluna is a perennial shrub. Heather is normally found in heathland.

'Heathers' was a comedy about a clique, almost all of whom are called Heather. Famous Heathers include actresses Heather Graham and Heather Locklear. Heather M

Hillary Rodham Clinton is an American presidential candidate, and wife of former president Bill Clinton.

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

The name of a state of the United States, this means land of indians (referring to Native Americans). It was the first name of the main character in the Indiana Jones movie and its popularity on females is possibly due to it being seen as an alternative

Jada is an English transcription of the Biblical male name Yada, from the Hebrew meaning "he knew". In the Old Testament, Yada was a man of the Tribe of Judah.

Today Jada is also used on girls as an elaboration of Jade, from the precious gr

Jade has been considered a precious stone for thousands of years, used in jewellery, weapons, and grave goods. Its name is derived from the Spanish phrase "piedra de ijada," which means "bowel stones." It was believed that jade could prevent gastrointes

Jaden and its variants are likely derived from the name Aidan, which is currently enjoying much popularity in the English speaking world. A similar name is the Hebrew "Jadon," meaning "grateful," but it is not likely that Jaden derives from this root.

A very popular variant of Jaden.

The second given pronunciation is used for Jami as a Hindu name.

Jamie started out as a nickname for James, but has become increasingly popular as a stand-alone name. In the UK Jamie was the 32nd most popular name (for boys) in 2006. There it is most commonly associated with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, the "Naked Chef

Jay may also be used as a nickname for names beginning with J, or as a full name independently.
A jay is a type of small bird.
Jay is the name of a character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gasby" (1925).

Jayce, a modern coinage, can be a short form of the name Jason, or a lengthened version of the initials "J.C." Jaycee is more than likely just a play on popular names like Casie or Lacey.

Jeri is frequently a nickname for the name Geraldine.

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.

In past centuries an exclusively male name, Jocelyn is today given almost exclusively to females.

Jocelyn Bell Purnell is an astrophysicist, who helped discover pulsars. Other famous bearers include socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein and comedi

One of the best known American actresses by this name, Jodie Foster, was actually born Alicia Christian Foster.

Jodie and it's counterpart, Jody, are legitimate unisex names and have traditionally been used for both girls and boys.

Jody, along with it's variant Jodie, have both been traditionally used for boys and girls.

The main character in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings classic Pulitzer Prize winning book "The Yearling" was 11 year old Jody Baxter, a boy who lived in the

Jordan is the name of a country in the Middle East; it is also the name of the river that runs along Israel's eastern border in the Great Rift Valley. Jordan was in use as a male name in Europe by the Dark Ages, but it has recently become a popular choic

Though usually used as a feminine name today, Joyce is a traditionally masculine name. It derives from an old Breton name meaning "experienced in battle," but many parents today choose it because it contains the word "joy."

Famous bearers

Jude, a form of Judah, is a male name, but it is also used as a feminine nickname (usually for Judith). Jude is used in the Bible opposite Judas Iscariot to distinguish between the two apostles of the same name. In popular culture the name is associated w

As a female name, Kara is derived from Cara - which has roots in Gaelic and Italian. As a male name it is Turkish.

Kara refers to several geographical places.

It is a character in the novel 'Benim Adým Kýrmýzý' by the Turki

As a female name, Kari is the Norwegian form of Katherine, or the short form of the name Karita (Scandinavian form of Charity).

Kari is also an old Scandinavian boys' name, from the Old Norse meaning "gust of wind; curly-haired". According

The surname Kelsey originated as a place name in Lincolnshire, England. It comes from the Old English name Cenel (which itself came from a word which meant 'fierce' or 'brave') plus the Old English noun 'eg' (meaning 'island' or 'low-lying land'). As a fi

From the place name Kendal in Cumbria, recorded in 1095 as Kircabikendala ‘village with a church in the valley of the Kent river’.
It is also an Anglicized form of the Welsh personal name Cynddelw, which was borne by a famous 12th-century Welsh poe

In a surge of popularity toward using place names as first names, this reached #275 in the United States in 2005.

As a female name, Kira is a variant of the name Ciara, from the Gaelic meaning "dark".

As a Japanese male name, Kira may be written with the character for "glitter; gleam; twinkle".

As a Russian name Kira is taken from the fe

Laurence is an English masculine name and a French feminine name. Friar Laurence is a character from Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet".

This evolved into its own name from being a nickname for Laurence or Laura.

Lee is a surname that has become very common as a first name in English speaking countries.

As a first name, famous Lees include actor Lee Marvin, Lee Majors, singer Lee Ryan and the assassin of John F Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald.

Became popular in names such at Katie-Leigh, Jodi-Leigh.

First seen in a Robert Burn's poem, Lesley is a variant of the name Leslie.

From the Gaelic surname for the lands of Lesslyn in Aberdeenshire, the words "leas cuilinn" meaning garden of hollies.

Leslie was the birth name of the 38th President Gerald R. Ford. President Ford was adopted as a baby.

Lindsay is derived from the Brithonic name "Lindissi," a corruption of the Latin "Lindum Colonia" - the Roman name for Lincoln. "Lindum" may derive from the old Gaeli "lindu," meaning "dark lake." Lindsay is a unisex name today, usually feminine in the

Lindsey is a variant spelling of Lindsay, but can also come from a Middle English phrase meaning "Lelli's island."

As a female name, Lola is a diminutive form of Dolores.

As a Sanskrit male name, Lola [lo-luh] means "moving to and fro" and is a name of Sri Krishna as a flute player.

The German film awards are also known as the Lolas. Lola

London itself is of obscure etymology, but is possibly connected with the Celtic element 'lond' which means 'wild'. The Latinised Roman name for London was Londinium.

The name of one of the four sacred creatures in Viet Nam, the dragon. It is in part taken from several place names such as Ha Long Bay.

From the surname Massey, which derives from places names for a person called Maccius.

MacKenzie is a common Scottish surname, traditionally denoting membership in the MacKenzie clan. The MacKenzies have been a significant clan in Scotland for at least 700 years.

MacKenzie itself is an Anglicization of the Gaelic MacCoinneach

Macy's are a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Macy.

William H Macy is an actor and Macy Gray is a singer, born Natalie Renee McIntyre

Transferred use of the surname meaning "son of Maud"; and also perhaps "Mad's son", Mad being a common pet form of Matthew during the Middle Ages.

Although Madison, today, is given as a name to both genders, it isn't a legitimate unisex nam

Transferred use of the English surname, derived from the Old French meaning "luckless, unfortunate".

As a surname, famous bearers include Thomas Malory, author of 'Le Morte Darthur', and mountaineer George Mallory who died during an attemp

A short form of Amanda or Miranda, Mandy is also bestowed as an independent given name. Very occasionally Mandy is used as a male name.

Mara is a name that appears in many mythologies.

A Hebrew name meaning "bitter, bitterness", Mara is one with the Biblical figure of Naomi. She changed her name from Naomi (pleasant) to Mara after she suffered the deaths of her husband and

Originally a medieval variant spelling of Marion.

There was a tendency to see Marian as a blend of Mary and Ann, such as in the French Marianne.

A famous bearer of this name is Maid Marian, Robin Hood's lady companion.

Originally a medieval French diminutive form of Marie, introduced to Britain in the Middle Ages.
It is now used as an independent name in both countries.

It is sometimes taken as a pet form of Margaret or Margery.

As a

Short form of Martin, also used for Martha, Martina or various Mar- names.
It has been used as an independent boys names since the latter part of the 20th century.

Maya is mostly taken in English-speaking countries as a variant of the mythological name Maia, usage influenced by the common English word and name "May".

It is also the Spanish form of the name, and a common pet form of Amalia.

Meredith comes from the old Welsh male name Mareludd, which probably means 'great lord'. The second element '-iudd' means 'lord'; the first element probably means 'great', or maybe 'sea'. In recent years the name has been given to girls. In Welsh pronunci

Michele is the Italian form of boys name Michael.

Michèle is the feminine form of French name Michel, also related to Michael. It is also used in the English-speaking world (with or without the accent). It is pronounced 'mee-SHELL'.

From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which is derived from Welsh mor (sea) or mawr (great), and can (bright, white) or cant (circle, completion).
This name is common as a surname in both Wales and Ireland and is becoming increasingly popular

Masculine in Italian, feminine in English.

Spanish elaborated form of Odilia.

Originally an occupational surname denoting a position as a page in a noble household, Paige is now a popular girls' name in English-speaking countries.

Nickname for Pat- names on either gender.

A form of both Patricius and Patricia. Used for boys in France but for girls in the English-speaking world.

A respelling of the masculine Rhys, Reese is commonly used on girls in the United States. "Reese" is also the brand of a very famous peanut-butter candy in the U.S.

Reese Witherspoon is a popular American actress who has influenced the usa

In Shakespeare's 'King Lear', Regan is one of King Lear's daughters, who turns against her father once she has been given her inheritance.

In some cases a transferred use of the English surname, a local name from a place named with Old English ryge (rye) and leah (wood, clearing).
In other cases it probably represents a respelling of the Irish surname Reilly, which is from an old Iris

Rio is the Spanish vocabulary world for "river".
As a Japanese female name, Rio may be written with the characters for "jasmine" (ri) and "center; middle" (o). Other possibilities include "jasmine" (ri) an "cord; strap; beginning" (o), as well as "

Robin is a pet form of Robert and has strong literary ties. Robin Hood is a legendary champion of the poor and Robin is also the name of two character's in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", including the trickster Robin Goodfellow who is also kn

Rohan is a legitimate Sanskrit name, but in English-speaking countries it is often associated with the Riders of Rohan in Tolkien's fantasy 'The Lord of the Rings'. In 2006 it was the 521st most popular boy's name in the US.

As a Hebrew boys' and girls' name, Ron means "song" or "joy; gaiety". It is best known in English-speaking countries as a short form of boys' name Ronald.

As a boy's name, Ronny comes from the name Ronald and, as a girl's name, Ronny comes from Veronica.

Anglicized form of Ruaidhrí.

As a girl's name, Rory is a pet form of several names including Aurora or Aurelia.

Famous male Rorys include comedians Rory Bremner and Rory McGrath, and actors Rory Cochrane and Rory Culkin. Fam

One form of Rowan comes from the Gaelic word for red, ruadh, and a Gaelic diminutive suffix. The other form, from the tree, comes from a Norse word for the European plant. This word refers to the red leaves and berries of the rowan tree.

Rudy Giuliani - full name Rudolph - was the mayor of New York during September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Respelling of Riley; popular on girls.

Sable is another name for the color black.

The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments. It has been prized for its fur. The term has become a generic description for some black-furred animal breeds, such as sable cat

Either a short form of Samantha or Samuel.

Sam is a character in Stephenie Meyer's popular Twilight series of books. It is also the name of the lead character in John Hughes quintessential teen movie, starring Molly Ringwald, "Sixteen Cand

Common nickname for Samuel or Samantha.

Russian endearment of Alexander that has crossed over from strictly boy's territory to commonly used for girls.
Both comedian Jerry Seinfeld and President Barack Obama have daughters names Sasha.

Sasha Cohen is an American Olympic fi

Derived from Seamus.

The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland.

Shannon Lucid is an astronaut and Shannon Elizabeth is an actress. Examples of male Shannons include musicians Shannon Hoon and Shannon Leto.

Diminutive of Sharon.

The Shasta Indians of the Northwest U.S. gave their name to the famous Mount Shasta.

In the U.S., Shasta is used as a girl's name, and also a popular brand of soda.

As a Sanskrit male name, Shasta means "teacher." It is a nam

Anglicized spelling of Siobahn.

Short form of Seamus. This may also be a variant spelling of the Hebrew male/female name of Shai.

May have also come from a contraction of the French city of Saint Denis.

Sincere has recently come to popularity as a first name for either sex in the U.S. It was not generally used as a name before the 1990s.

This name could have also originated with the surname, Eustace.

Sydney is a variant of the name Sidney, and can be used on both males and females.

Sydney Carton is the male hero of Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities."

Sydney Bristow is the heroine in the television show "Alias."

From the Old English personal name 'Tata', possibly a short form of various compound names with the obscure first element tat, or else a nursery formation. Tate is a common surname in Britain.

Henry Tate established the Tate Gallery in Lond

Taylor was originally an occupational surname which denoted someone who worked as a tailor.

Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States. Taylor is a brand of guitars and the name of Taylor University in Indiana. Taylor Alis

From the name Thierry (Germanic for "ruler of the people") or a pet form of Terence (Latin name of uncertain origin) or Theresa (meaning "harvester").

Also an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Treasach ('warlike, fierce')

Also an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Treasach ('warlike, fierce')

Can also be a nickname for Valentine.

English masculine form of the Latin 'Valentinus', meaning "strong, healthy".
It is also the French feminine form of the name (pronounced [val en TEEN]).

Valentine's Day is a conventional holiday to celebrate sweethearts and love and

Comes from the Willow tree. Also, is the name of two iconic science-fiction characters. The male title-character of the movie "Willow" and the female best-friend of Buffy from the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

The middle name of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's firstborn daughter, Harlow Winter Kate Madden.