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
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
Popular name in the Middle ages, Alvaro was a 14th century saint who established a Dominican learning and education center. Occasionally also found as a surname, but in that case more often spelled Alvarro.
Álvaro Uribe is the current Presi
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
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.
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
From the Latin "blaesus" (to stutter; to stammer).
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
Brendan is an Irish saint whose travels are narrated in the immram "The Voyage of St. Brendan".
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
Chad is a country in central Africa. Lake Chad is a large wetland area in the country.
St Chad was an early English saint, who was Bishop of Northumbria and later Bishop of Mercia.
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
Conor is particularly popular in Ireland - it was the 3rd most popular name there in 2006.
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
The name Cyrus is derived from either the Persian word "kurush," which may relate to the sun, or "kuru", which relates to throne.
Cyrus the Great was the first Persian ruler; he conquered Babylon, and is known Biblically for releasing the
St Declan was an early Irish saint, who preached in Ireland prior to the arrival of St Patrick.
Declan Costello was Attorney-General of Ireland in the 1970s. Declan Donnelly is a British TV presenter, one half of 'Ant and Dec'.
St Denis was the martyr bishop of Paris in the 3rd century. He is usually depicted as headless, as he was beheaded.
'Dennis the Menace' is the name of two comic strips. In America, it refers to the strip started by Hank Ketcham, with Dennis being a blond-haired mischievous five year old. In Britain, it refers to the strip in the 'Beano' comic, with Dennis being a spiky
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
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. <
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
From the Old English Eádweard; a compound name composed of the elements "ead" (riches, prosperity, fortune) and "weard" (guardian, protector). Hence: 'protector of the riches, inheritance', or maybe 'rich guardian', 'fortunate protector'.
It is mo
Saint Edwin was the first Christian king of Northumbria and a martyr. The name was also born by astronomer Edwin Hubble, and is the real first name of astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
Could also be a variant on Elijah or Eliam. The name of an early Welsh saint.
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
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.
<
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
Gannon is predominantly a surname. It is an anglicised form ultimately derived from the Gaelic name Fionnán, which is itself derived from 'fionn' (white, fair).
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
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
St. Hubert is the patron saint of hunters.
The name Ignatius may derive from the Latin word "ignis," which means "fire." Alternatively, it may be of Etruscan origin.
This is a late Roman version of Isaiah. Found in some versions of the Bible it is also the name of a saint.
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
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.
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.
St. Leonard of Noblac is the patron saint of birthing mothers, prisoners and the mentally ill.
Other famous Leonards include singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, composer Leonard Bernstein and actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in 'Star Trek
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
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
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
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
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
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
A French cognate of Michael.
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
It is of Germanic origin. It might be derived from the Old English elements os "god" and weald "rule".
It was the name of two saints, including Saint Oswald king of Northumbria. He participated in spreading Christianity to northeast England in the
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
St Peter was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, and became the first pope of the Church. Peter's original name was Simon, but it was changed by Jesus to the Aramaic name Cephas (rock). Peter is the Greek equivalent of Cephas.
The first R
Anglicised version of the Greek name Philippos.
St Philip was one of the twelve disciples.
Philip has long been used as a name in the ruling classes, from the Kings of Macedon (Philip II was the father of Alexander the Great
Raphael is traditionally one of the seven archangels. He is mentioned by name in the apocryphal book of Tobit.
Raphael is also the name used when referring to Renaissance Italian painter Raphael Santi or Sanzio. One of the Teenage Mutant N
From the Latinised Rochus; in origin a Germanic name. It could be from either the Gothic 'hrukjan', Old German 'rohôn', 'to shout' - so 'battle cry' or from the Germanic 'hrok' - 'rest'.
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
There have been various St Ronans, including a Celtic bishop who preached in Cornwall and Brittany. The town of Locronan in Brittany is named after him.
There are several famous Irishmen named Ronan - singers Ronan Keating and Ronan Tynan,
Iago is the Spanish version of James. Santiago de Compostela (Saint James of Compostela) in Spain is a Christian pilgrimage destination that has been popular since the Middle Ages.
The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel written by Ernest
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
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
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
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
This name comes from the Germanic elements 'odal' ('prosperity, fortune') and 'ric' ('power'). It was the name of a 10th century saint.
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
Virgil is the more commonly known form of the name Vergilius. It belonged most famously to a first century AD poet, author of the Roman epic poem 'The Aeneid'. In popular culture Virgil Tracy is the pilot of the (sadly fictional) Thunderbird 2.
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
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
Variant of Alaina or Alina.
St Alena was a Belgian martyr.
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
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.
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
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
Feminine form of Bernard.
Bernadette was a popular name in the 1950s that is now out of fashion in France.
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
Saint Cecilia, patroness of music, was martyred in the third century. Cécilia Sarkozy is the wife of current French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
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
Ciara is an Irish name derived from the Irish Gaelic word "ciar," meaning "dark." It is traditionally pronounced "KEER ah," with a hard K. This name is the original version of the anglicised variants Keira and Kira. In the US, Ciara is frequently prono
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.
A derivation from María de los Dolores, "Mary of Sorrows."
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
From Elisabet, the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elisheva meaning "my God is a vow".
In the Old Testament, Elisheva is the wife of Aaron.
In the New Testament, the name is borne by a kinswoman of the Virgin Mary and mother of John the Bapti
From the 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
Whilst not that unusual in the UK (and also used in Italy and Spain), Gemma is very rare in the US. The name derives ultimately from the Latin feminine noun 'gemma', meaning a jewel or precious stone. The word was also used for a bud or a jewelled cup.
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
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
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
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
This is a more modern name in Poland. In Russia, this name is likely derived from Ekaterina.
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
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
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
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.
The French form of the Latin Melania, derived from the Greek 'melas', meaning "black, dark".
The French spelling is Mélanie.
The name was introduced to England in the Middles Ages, but became popular in the late 20th century. This ca
Derived from an Old English name, meaning "gentle strength, mild power".
The name was borne by a 7th century saint and abbess.
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
The original form of the English name "Natalie," Natalia is derived from the Italian "natale," meaning "birthday." The term refers specifically to Christ's birthday - the Italian phrase for "merry Christmas" is "buon natale!", literally "good birthday!"
Olga is the Russian form of the name Helga or comes from the male name, Oleg.
St. Olga was a 10th century saint.
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
Derived from the Latin "serenus"
Serena Williams is an American tennis player.
The Nissan Serena is a minivan or people carrier.
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.
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
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
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
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 unisex French form of Dominic. It became popular in English speaking countries following the release of a song of the same name in 1963 by the Singing Nun, also known as Soeur Sourire or Sister Smile.
French male name, modern French form of John. Or English female name, medieval variant of Jane.
There have been two king Johns or king Jeans of France. The first only ruled for five days - he was born after his Father's death and died soon
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.
Laurence is an English masculine name and a French feminine name. Friar Laurence is a character from Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet".
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