Amos was minor prophet who condemned idol worship and pagan ritual and spurned spiritual reform in Isreal. An evil priest, Amaziah, accused him of treason to Jeraboam II due to his unwelcome message. Amos was a contemporary of Isaiah, Micah and Hosea.
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
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Hermann.
The name is borne by Scottish comedian Armando Iannucci.
Arthur is a name that probably dates back as far as pre-Roman times in Britain. It is possibly derived from the Celtic "artos" (bear), the Irish Gaelic "art" (stone), or the Welsh term "arth gwyr," or "bear man." Its modern form may be based partly on t
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
First used in Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe." Possibly derived from a celtic word meaning "first choice."
Cedric the Entertainer is an American comedian, and Cedric Diggory is a character in the Harry Potter series. The Nissan Cedric is a lu
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"
Colin may also have originated as a nickname for Nicholas. Famous bearers include former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, golfer Colin Montgomerie and actors Colin Baker, Colin Farrell and Colin Firth.
The name is particularly popular o
The name of an ancient Roman gens (family). Its origin isn't certain, but it is believed to come from the Latin 'cornu' (horn).
Pope Cornelius was pope between 251 and 253 AD. Cornelius the centurion is considered to be the first Gentile co
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'
'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
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
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
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
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.
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
Variant transcription of Gidon, from the Hebrew meaning "mighty warrior", "hewer", or "maimed".
In the Old Testament, the name is borne by an Israelite judge and leader in the defeat of the Midianites.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
Singer and musician Elton John's birth name was Reginald Dwight.
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
Can also be a pet form of Edward.
Tom is more widely known as a short form of Thomas. It may also be a Hebrew name of its own, meaning "honesty, innocence."
Celebrity bearers of the name include Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks.
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
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
Zacharias is originally the Greek cognate of the Hebrew name Zechariah.
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.
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
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. The name is also shared by the character Angelina Ballerina - a dancing mouse.
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 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.
A derivation from María de los Dolores, "Mary of Sorrows."
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.
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."
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,
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
Katie is a nickname for Katherine. As a stand-alone name it has been very popular in the UK, falling to 13th place in 2006. Its popularity in the US appears to be declining, with Katie currently hovering just outside the top 100.
Borne by A
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
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
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
Blend of Maria and Madgalene, used by the German actress Marlene Dietrich as her stage name.
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
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
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.
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
Traditionally a masculine name, Avery is used on both boys and girls today. Avery is also fairly common as a last name.
It is the name of several towns and counties in the U.S.; there is also a crater on the Moon named Avery.
Irma is a short form of names beginning with "Irm-," which is a Germanic prefix meaning "universal." It is the same prefix from which names like "Emma" are derived as well.
In the West it is seen as a feminine name though as a Hindu name it is ex
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.
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.
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").