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
Abdullah is a common Arabic name derived from "abd-," the Arabic word for "servant," and the name of Allah. It has several variant transliterations into English, each of which is perfectly acceptable, though some are more common than others. As with man
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
Abram was the original name of Abraham in the Bible. God renamed him thusly: "No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of many nations". Abram means "exalted father", where Abraham means "father
"Ace" comes from the Latin "as," which was the name for a small-denomination Roman coin. In English vernacular, an "ace" is a very skilled person; it is also synonymous with "cool," in UK usage. "Ace" can also be: a suit of playing cards; a fighter pilot
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
A Spanish form of Adam, Adan is sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Aidan or Aodhán. It should be noted, however, that Adan is not pronounced in the same way as Aidan or Aodhán.
Modern respelling of Aidan.
In Hindu mythology Aditya was the name of 33 of Aditi's children. See Aditi for more information.
Adolfo is a Spanish and Italian variant of the Germanic name Adolf.
Adonis was the name of the Phoenician god of spring. In Greek mythology Adonis was the name of a boy loved by Aphrodite. The name is derived from the Phoenician 'adon' (lord).
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
Occasionally the meaning is given as "God is my majesty," but "followers of God" is more likely. In the Bible, Adriel was the son-in-law of Saul. Very occasionally used for a girl in English-speaking contexts, although the name is masculine.
Adrien is the French equivalent of the English Adrian, but this spelling is sometimes used by English-speaking parents.
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.
A modern respelling of Aidan, mostly seen in the US and Canada.
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.
Akash is used as a given name, derived from the Hindi/Sanskrit term "Akasha", meaning "upper sky" or ethereal space. The word "Akash" is an important element in Hindu Philosophy. As per the philosophy, there are 5 basic elements that the human body compr
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
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Albert.
The name is borne by former President of Peru Alberto Fujimori, who is currently on trial for human rights abuses and charges of corruption. Other bearers include former US Attorney-General A
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.
Male equivalent of Alda. From the Germanic element 'ald', 'old'.
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
Alejandro is the Spanish form of the name Alexander.
Notable bearers include film director Alejandro Amenábar, Mexican film director Alejandro González Iñárritu, former Argentine president Alejandro Lanusse and Peruvian politician Alejandro
Italian form of Alexander.
Alessandro de' Medici was the first de' Medici to be the Duke of Florence, and was the grandson of Lorenzo the Magnificent. He was assassinated by his cousin Lorenzino de' Medici.
Other bearers incl
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
French form of the Greek name Alexandros.
Spanish form of Alexander
Spanish form of Alphonse, from Adalfuns which comes from the Germanic elements "adal", meaning "all, noble" and "funs" meaning "ready, apt".
It was the name of 13 Kings of Castile and later Spain, and 5 Kings of Aragon.
Alfo
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
Portuguese, Spanish and Italian form of Alfred.
The name has been borne by various South American Presidents: Alfredo Stroessner - President of Paraguay from 1954 to 89, Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso - President of Cuba from 1921 to 25, Alfredo P
Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first male convert to Islam, and is considered by Shia Muslims to be the first Imam. To Sunni Muslims, he is the fourth Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph. He married Muhammed's daughter Fatima.
The name is borne by
Modern respelling of the name Elijah ("The Lord is my God"). Many times changing the spelling of the meaningful form - in this case, from Elijah to Alijah - negates the meaning of the name.
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
Short form of Alfonso
English version of the Spanish Alonso.
From the Old English elements 'ald' (old) and 'tun' (town, village).
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
Probably from the Old English elements 'ælf' (elf) and 'wine' (friend).
Alvin and the Chipmunks was a cartoon about a chipmunk band.
Amaré Stoudemire is an American basketball player.
Amir or emir is the name given to a prince of an Arabic state, though it also refers to a military leader.
Amir al-Muminin ('commander of the faithful') is a name used to refer to the Muslim caliphs.
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.
Variant of Andreas used in Scandanavia, in Frisian and in some Dutch dialects.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the current Prime Minister of Denmark, and Anders Celsius was a Swedish astronomer after whom the Celsius temperature scale is named.
Bearers of this surname include British comedian Clive Anderson, 'X-Files' actress Gillian Anderson and actress Pamela Anderson.
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
Greek root of names such as Andrew and André, the short form of names beginning with 'andr-' such as Androkles and Andronikos.
The San Andreas Fault is a geological transform fault in California that marks the boundary between the North Ame
Andrew was a disciple of Jesus and of John the Baptist, who it is said was martyred by being crucified on a cross in the shape of an "X". He became a saint. This symbol is now referred to as Saint Andrew's cross. Andrew was the brother of Peter.
Italian and Spanish form of the Greek name Angelos.
Angelo is a character in Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure'.
Angus is the anglicized form of the Scottish and Irish Gaelic name Aonghus. It is both a first name and surname.
Surname, from one of several Middle English personal names.
It might mean ‘son of Hann’, ‘son of Hand’, ‘son of Agnes', or even ‘son of Anselm’.
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.
French form of Anthony, particularly popular in France in the early 1990s, following the popularity of Anthony. It was also popular from the 16th to 18th century, and declined in popularity during the 19th century.
Notable bearers include F
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
A respelling of the French "Antoine."
A modern respelling of the name Antoine.
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.
Nickname for names starting with "Arch" such as Archibald or Archer.
As well as being a male Hebrew name, Ari can be used as a nickname for names such as Arianna, Ariel and Arietta.
This is the name of the esteemed second Sikh Guru.
Arjun or Arjuna is one of the heroes of the Mahabharata, a Hindu epic. He is one of the Pandava brothers, and known as the 'Peerless Archer' - his archery skills win him the hand in marriage of Draupadi.
Name of Persian origin favored in the Punjabi region of India. Used frequently by those whom are Sikhs.
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
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Hermann.
The name is borne by Scottish comedian Armando Iannucci.
Arnav joined the US top 1000 for the first time in 2003, and around 200 boys were named Arnav in 2006.
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.
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish cognates of Arsenios.
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
Italian and Spanish form of Arthur.
The name was borne by Italian musician and conductor Arturo Toscanini.
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.
A nickname to Adrian as well as a term used by linguists to note the Indo-Iranian language family. The word has become linked with Nazism due to Hitler's aim of producing a pure Aryan master race by exterminating the Jews.
In the Bible, Asa was the name of the third king of Judah. His father was the wicked Abijah. His grandmother was Maacah, a blasphemer. Against the odds of having a wicked father, Abijah, and a grandmother (Maacah) who was blasphemous, Asa became a righteo
In the Old Testament, Asher was the 8th son of Jacob and the second son of Zilpa, the maid of Jacob’s wife Leah. He was also the founder of the Tribe of Asher.
From the Old English 'aesc' - ash tree, and 'tun' - settlement.
The name is borne by American actor Ashton Kutcher.
Attica is the region of Greece which contains Athens, the capital city. Today, the name is mainly known from the character Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Atticus was also the name of a number of ancient Greek philosophers and
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
Transferred use of surname from Austin, the contracted form of Augustine. It was famously borne by British novelist Jane Austen.
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.
A modern respelling of Austin.
An axle (or an axel) is the shaft on which a rotating wheel or gear turns. There is an axel jump in gigure skating, named after Norwegian Axel Paulsen who was the first person to execute the jump in 1882.
Axel F is the name of the song remi
Ayden is a respelling of the Gaelic Aodhán, possibly influenced by the English "Hayden."
Aydin is a Turkish name meaning "intelligent" or "learned," but it is also sometimes used as an alternate spelling of Aidan or Aodhán.
This particular spelling of the name Aliyah is extremely popular in the U.S., probably due to its association with the late singer and actress Aaliyah.
A modern respelling of Abigail.
Nickname for Abigail.
Respelling of Abigail.
Nickname for Abigail.
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.
Spanish vocabulary word for "April", used as a name by some.
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,
Ada (AH dah) is a Hebrew biblical name meaning "adornment". An English form of the name is Adah. Ada was the wife of Lamech and the mother of Jabal and Jubal. Another Ada was a wife of Esau and the daughter of Elon the Hittite. It can also be a short form
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
Addisyn is a respelling of the surname Addison, which means 'son of Adam'. The creation has been influenced by the modern trend of replacing vowels with the letter Y, believed by some to "make a name (more) feminine". This is also touted as "making a name
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.
A'isha or Aisha was the third and favored wife of Mohammed, and the daughter of Abu Bakr, the first caliph.
Aisha Tyler is an American actress.
Respelling of the Gaelic word 'aisling'.
Often claimed to be a Native American name meaning "blossoming" or "eternal flower," Aiyana's origins are actually quite obscure. It may be a respelling of the Somali name Ayanna.
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.
Alternative modern spelling to the legitimate name Alaina. Feminine to the French form of Alan, Alain.
A modern respelling of Aliyah, perhaps also inspired by the biblical Leah.
The name first entered the US top 1000 in 1994, and since then has not risen higher than the 603rd most popular name in 2000.
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.
Spanish form of Alexandra.
The name is borne by Mexican singer Alejandra Guzmán.
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
A modern respelling of Alexis, presumably inspired by the Lexus luxury brand of automobiles.
Variant of Aliya, either from the Hebrew or from the feminine form of the Arabic Ali. The Swahili name Aliya mirrors the Arabic form.
Queen Alia of Jordan was the third wife of King Hussein of Jordan, the ruler of Jordan from 1952 to 99. Q
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.
Russian variant of Alicia or an Armenian name meaning 'gentle'.
Alisa is also the name of a Russian rock band.
Either an Indian name meaning 'protected by god' or a variant of Alicia.
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
Variant of Alicia. Alyssa is a more popular spelling of this pronunciation.
This is a modern respelling of the name Olivia. There is no known meaning for this modern coinage.
Either from the Hebrew or from the feminine form of the Arabic Ali.
Aliyah or Aliya is the name given to the immigration of the Jews to Israel. This especially occurred in the 20th century, and the state of Israel was established in 1948. I
Variant of Alitza, from the Hebrew meaning "joy, happiness".
Aliza Olmert is an artist and the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
A nickname for any name beginning with "Al," especially Allison and Alexandra. Occasionally used as a name in its own right.
There were approximately 80 names in the US top 1000 in 2006 that could take the nickname Allie, giving approximat
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
Shortened form of the Spanish feminine form of Alexander, Alejandra.
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.
Alyssia is also an alternate form of the name Alicia.
The name of a heroine of traditional Basque stories of the knight Teodosio de Goni.
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.
Modern name combining Amber with Lee.
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
Spanish of the masculine Italian name Amerigo. North and South America are named after Amerigo Vespucci, who explored the coast of South America at the turn of the 16th century.
The name is also borne by actress America Ferrera.
Amie is the French word for a female friend pronounced "ah MEE".
Aminah or Amina was the name of the mother of the Muslim prophet Muhammed, founder of Islam.
It was also the name of a Nigerian princess of the royal family of Zazzau (now known as Zaria) in the 16th century. She is famous for her military
As a Hebrew name, Amira may come from the Hebrew meaning "speech" or "treetop" if written with the letter Aleph, or "sheaf of corn" if written with the letter Ayin. It is also the feminine form of the Arabic name Amir.
Variant of Amira, which may come from the Hebrew meaning "speech" or "treetop" if written with the letter Aleph, or "sheaf of corn" if written with the letter Ayin. It is also a feminine form of the Arabic name Amir.
Feminine form of Amish.
Amiyah entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2003.
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
Amya (ah-MY-ah) has been modernly used in English-speaking countries as a variant of the Basque name Amaya.
Amya (ahm-YAH) is also a Hebrew name, meaning "people of God".
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.
A nickname for names that start with 'Angel', especially Angela. Has been used as a first name in its own right after the popularity of the song "Angie" by the Rolling Stones.
Anisa can be a variation on the Hebrew name Anna, or a different spelling of the Arabic/Swahili name Aneesa.
Derived from the Hebrew meaning "ship, boat", Aniya may also be taken as a modern variant of Ania.
Variant transcription of the Hebrew Aniya.
Aniya may also have been used as a variant of Anya.
A variant spelling of Angelica
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.
Anne gained popularity through the belief that St Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary. There is no Biblical basis for this, though Anna is one of the people who meets the infant Jesus at the Temple of Jerusalem.
Anne is the name of vari
A fuse of Anna and Maria, which gained popularity in German and Dutch speaking countries in the 18th century. This was due to the fact that both Anna and Maria were quite popular and were sometimes given in pairs; so Anna Maria and Maria Anna. This eventu
Pet form of Anne.
Notable bearers include actress Annette Bening, Annette Lu who is the Vice-President of the Republic of China - the area that is more commonly known as Taiwan, and Annette Kellerman, who is credited with the invention of s
Nickname for An- names.
'Annie' is a comic strip and musical about a red-haired orphan who is taken in by a wealthy man, Warbucks, for Christmas and subsequently adopted by him.
Annie Lennox is a Scottish singer and member o
Annika Sörenstam is a successful Swedish professional golfer.
A combination of the names Ann and Marie.
Antonia is the name of the main character in WIlla Cather's landmark American novel, "My Antonia."
Anya is a Russian pet form of the name Anna.
It is also a Sanskrit female name (pronounced 'an-yah') meaning "the inexhaustible".
Bearers include historical fiction author Anya Seton and designer Anya Hindmarch.
According to Irish legend, Aoife was the greast female warrior in the world. This is currently a very popular name in Ireland.
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
Araceli is of modern coinage. Mexican author Araceli Ardon is a notable bearer.
Variant of Araceli.
"Aria" is an Italian word meaning "air" - it is frequently used as a musical term in English as well as in Italian. An aria is melody for a solo voice in an opera, usually with orchestral accompaniment. Famous arias include 'O mio babbino caro' and 'Ness
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
L'Arianna is a lost opera by composer Claudio Monteverdi. Arianna Huffington is an author and columnist.
The name is borne by French-American actress Arielle Dombasle and American actress Arielle Kebbel.
Arlene is a modern coinage, most likely inspired by other names that end in arlene, such as Charlene.
Respelling of Ariana.
Respelling of Arianna.
Asha is a fairly uncommon name, breaking into the US top 1000 girls' names again in 2006 in 976th place.
From the name of a major ethnic group in Ghana. "For the sake of war" is a possible meaning for Ashanti.
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.
A modern respelling of Ashley.
Anglicisation of the Irish name Aisling.
Anglicisation of the Irish name Aisling.
A modern respelling of Ashton, primarily used for girls, and has gained some popularity in recent years.
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.
Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, civilization and war. The Greek city of Athens was named after her.
This name is Lithuanian in origin, but enjoys popularity across the Baltic states. The Latvian name day for Audra is March 27th. Audra is one of the few Lithuanian names to have had some popularity in English speaking countries such as the United States.
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.
The French word for "April." Popularized recently by singer Avril Lavigne.
Variant of Ayanna.
This name is of East African origin.
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
Respelling of Aileen.
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
Adin is a masculine Hebrew name meaning either "slender" or "voluptuous."
In the Old Testament Adin (also found as Adina - which is now the feminine form) was a son of Shiza and one of King David’s warriors (I Chronicles 11:42).
Adin is al
A derivative of Ansley, a Scottish surname of a habituation nature. Has enjoyed moderate success in the latest trend of choosing surnames as given names. Traditionally a masculine name, it is sometimes used in these modern times for a girl.
Also commonly found as a surname. Pronounced like the continent Asia and sometimes used as a hommage to it. Fans of the band Steely Dan might be partial to this name, as it is a name of an album and song of theirs.
Used interchangable for
Akasha is a Hindu or Sanskrit term meaning "upper sky" or ethereal space. It is a common name in India. The word "Akash" comes from Akasha and is an important element in Hindu Philosophy. As per the philosophy, there are 5 basic elements that the human
Akira is occasionally bestowed on girls but remains chiefly a male name.
The name has been borne by film director Akira Kurosawa, former head of the Japanese Supreme Court - Akira Machida and manga artist Akira Toriyama. There is also a fil
The Latin feminine form of Alan, but a unisex name in Hawaiian.
The name is borne by actress Alana de la Garza.
Most Hawaiian names are unisex. This name is also a word that refers to a type of moss and a type of seaweed.
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
A nickname for any name beginning with "Al," predominantly used for females.
There were approximately 80 names in the US top 1000 in 2006 that could take the nickname Ally, giving approximately 70 000 girls born in 2006 who could be called
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
This is an Arabic male name; but is also a prominent African name of Swahili origin. It is used as a unisex name there, and also for both boys and girls in English speaking countries, like the the U.S.
The feminine Amara may be derived from the Greek amarantos (eternal, unfading).
Alternatively, it may be from the Latin amarus (bitter, sour).
As a male name it is Sanskrit in origin, and means 'immortal'. It also refers to the numb
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
Ami is a Hebrew male name meaning "my nation, my people".
It is also a Japanese female name that may be written with the characters for "Asia" (a) and "beauty" (mi)
'Ami' is sometimes used as a variant spelling of Amy.
Though Amiya is also a male name, it entered the US top 1000 for girls in 2000.
As a masculine name Ana is the Malayalam for 'elephant'. As a feminine name it is derived from Anna (ultimately Hannah) and used in Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain. It is also used in English-speaking countries.
Beare
Variant spelling of the Hebrew name Anaia, meaning "God answered". The standard English form of the name is Anaiah.
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
Nickname for Andrew or Andrea.
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
As a female name the name has origins in Hebrew, Latin and Japanese. In this form it is used in Dutch, Finnish and Swedish. As a male name however, it is Sanskrit in origin and is pronounced slightly different [see second given pronunciation].
Both used for females and males. As a female name Anita is derived from Anna and used in among other languages, English, Finnish, Spanish and Italian.
As a male name it is Sanskrit in origin and used in the Hindu culture for boys.
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.
Scottish surname of a habituation nature. Has enjoyed moderate success in the latest trend of choosing surnames as given names, along with it's varients Ainslie and Ainsley. traditionally a masculine name, it is sometimes used in these modern times for a
A surname derived from a place name, which probably comes originally from a Celtic word meaning 'high'.
Found in the Bible as the originator of the Arelites. Son of Gad.
This name and its re-spelling, Arely, is often also used for girls in the modern day.
Modern respelling of the legitimate masculine Hebrew name, Areli.
Also could be a shortened form of nickname for Ariela or Aurelio/Aurelia. Found more frequently used in the Hispanic/Latino culture.
Ariel is generally regarded as the masculine spelling of this name, with the feminine forms Ariela and Arielle. A famous male Ariel is Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Ariel appears in the Bible as a name for the city of Jerusalem and a
May come from the name Alexander but the origin is uncertain. It can be used as a pet form of various names including Arlene.
Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer.
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.
Aspens are part of the Willow family, and are characterized by their trembling leaves, white bark, and beautiful fall foliage.
Aspen Matthews is the heroine of the comic book "Fathom."
Aspen, Colorado, is a world-famous ski r
A respelling of Aubrey which probably came about from the traditionally male name's modern use on females.
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
A respelling of Aubrey used for females.
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.
Avalon is a legendary place name of uncertain origin.
It is probably derived from afal (apple) and ynys (island), which gave the Welsh male name Afallon.
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.
Aydan is a respelling of Aidan, the standard anglicization of the Gaelic Aodhán. In Turkish it is an unrelated female name.