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
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
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.
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.
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.
As well as being a male Hebrew name, Ari can be used as a nickname for names such as Arianna, Ariel and Arietta.
Alternative spelling of Aaron.
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.
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
The male name Ben is from the Hebrew meaning "son", mentioned in the Old Testament.
Ben is also used as a nickname for Benjamin, the Anglicized form of Binyamin, meaning "son of my right hand". In the Bible, Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob.<
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
Nickname for Ben- names.
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
Cohen is either a Jewish surname from the Hebrew 'kohen' (priest) or an anglicised Irish surname from 'Ó Cadhan' (descendant of Cadhan).
Cohen is not a personal name in Hebrew. In the Jewish faith, a kohen is assumed to be a direct male de
Dan was the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Dan can also be used as a nickname for Daniel.
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 French surname derived from David whose English use is probably influenced by Devin.
Modern coinage, probably derived from David or Devon.
A combonation of the prefix "De" and the proper name Jon.
Diego comes from Santiago, the Spanish for Saint James. Santiago de Compostela (Saint James of Compostela) in Spain is a Christian pilgrimage destination that has been popular since the Middle Ages.
Diego Rivera was a Mexican painter who,
A variant of the name Dejohn, Dijon is also a well-known kind of mustard.
A phonetic respelling of Ian.
Depending on the Hebrew writing, the name might mean "my God" (short form of Eliyahu), "pistil", "pestle", "ascend".
The name of the priest who raised Samuel (1. Sam. 4).
Famous bearers include spy Eli Cohen, cotton gin inven
Could also be a variant on Elijah or Eliam. The name of an early Welsh saint.
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.
In the Old Testament, Eliezer was Moses and Zipporah's second son.
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.
Latinate form of the Hebrew name Immanuel through the Greek cognate Emmmanouel.
The prophet Isaiah envisioned the name of the Messiah as being Immanuel in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, it is another name for Jesus Christ.
Enoch is an Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Chanok. It is a name borne by several biblical characters in the book Genesis: the eldest son of Cain, as well as a son of Jared and father of Metuselah. Jewish legends make Enoch the inventor of script, math
Popular anglicized form of the Irish form of John.
It may also be an anglicized form of Irish Eoghan.
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
Modern respelling of Ethan.
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
Ezekiel was a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, is said to have been a descendant of Joshua by his marriage with the proselyte Rahab. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and capt
Spanish and Portugese cognate of Ezekiel.
Ezra was a prophet of the Old Testament, a priest who returned to Judah from exile in Babylon.
Blending of the names Gian and Carlo.
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.
Respelling of Giovanni.
An Anglicized version of Sheumais, a version of Seumas. It is popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
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.
Biblically, Hezekiah was a good King of Judah.
A Scottish form of John.
Ian is a modern Scottish form of the name John. It was not used in Scotland until the late nineteenth century, though it has since become quite popular throughout the English-speaking world.
Traditionally a nickname for Isaac and Dwight, Ike was famously the nickname of U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower. His campaign slogan was catchy enough to be remembered today: "I Like Ike".
Ike is also the name of South Park main charact
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
This is a late Roman version of Isaiah. Found in some versions of the Bible it is also the name of a saint.
In the 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
The French form of the name is spelled Ismaël.
Transcription of the Hebrew Yisrael which is from the Hebrew words meaning "to struggle; wrestle; contend" and "God". Another suggested meaning is "Prince of God".
In the Old Testament, when Jacob wrestled with the angel, he received the new name
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.
In the Old Testament, Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, the twin brother of Esau and the father of twelve sons and a daughter. From his sons came the twelve tribes of Israel - the Israelites. God later changed Jacob's name to Israel.
O
In the Old Testament, Jair was the father of one of King David's warriors.
Frequently used Spanish cognate of the Hebrew name.
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.
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
From the Hebrew Yedidya, meaning "friend of God" or "God's beloved."
Yedidya was another name of King Solomon.
Yered was one of the ten names applied to Moses.
Jerel and Jerell are fairly modern coinages of unknown meaning. It is possible that they are modeled after the name Gerald, a name of Germanic origin meaning "spear ruler", however this link it tenuous at best.
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.
To pinpoint a direct ground for for this modern creation is difficult. It appears to be a misspelling of Jeremy, however the spelling could be intentional in many cases. therefore it could be considered a nickname for names such as Jerome, Jermaine, Jere
Variant spelling of Jeremy.
James Earl Carter, 39th President of the United States, preferred to go by the name "Jimmy". He has always signed his name as Jimmy Carter.
Other famous Jimmys include: American movie star (known for his large nose) Jimmy Durante, Led Zeppl
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.
Probably a misspelling of Johnathan, Johathan has somehow found its way onto the US Top 1000 chart 8 different times. Though it could be an intentional mixing of the names Joseph and Jonathan, the exact root of the name is conjecture.
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.
Nickname for John- or Jon- names. Form of John adopted by popular American actor Johnny Depp.
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.
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,
This is the legitimate Polish variant of Jonathan, however, it has found its way onto the US top 1000 names charts three different times. Likely it is due in part to spelling mistakes (much like in the instance of the name Johathan) and is pronounced (JO
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.
Josue [HO-su-eh; HO-sway] is the Spanish form of Joshua.
Josué [ZHO-zu-ay] is the French and Portuguese form of the name.
From the Hebrew meaning "thanks, gratitude", "praise." In the Old Testament, Judah was a son of Jacob and Leah, who later married Tamar.
It is also the name of one of the two kingdoms of Israel. The Kingdom of Judah was the kingdom ruled by
Although Caleb spelled with a "K" is often used in English speaking countries just as a simple change to spelling the name with the more traditional "C", Kaleb is a legitimate form of the Hebrew name Caleb. Kaleb is actually an Ethiopian cognate of Caleb
In English-speaking countries Kane is usually a respelling of Cain. It is also a Japanese name meaning 'golden'.
A name created by combining the prefix Ke- with a variant of the name Sean.
Occasionally used in the United States, Kohen is not a personal name in Hebrew.
It is a surname and a specific lineage in the Jewish faith. A kohen is assumed to be a direct male descendant of the Biblical Aaron, brother of Moses.
Du
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.
“Magen David” is the Hebrew name of the "star of David". It is a six pointed star that is formed by two equilateral triangles which have the same center. The Magen David is a symbol of the Jewish faith and of Israel, represented on its flag. "Magen" is s
Respelling of the modern coinage Mekhi. Has increased in popularity to the credit of American actor Mekhi Phifer.
Modern variant of Malachi.
Swedish and Hawaiian variant of Malakhi.
Spanish form of Matthew.
Variant of Matthew.
Variant of Matthias.
Variant of Matthieu, French cognate of Matthew.
Finnish and Spanish form of Matthias.
Pet form of Matthew, occasionally found as an independent name.
Famous bearers include actor Matt Damon.
Italian variant of Matthew.
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.
Menachem is a Hebrew boy name, derived from 'nachum' meaning "comfort, console". It is pronounced with a gluttural 'ch'. In the Old Testament, Menachem was a king of Israel. Menachem is a symbolic name for boys born during the month of Av, or on the ninth
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
A French cognate of Michael.
Pet form of Michael.
Mickey Mouse is a famous Disney character.
Short form of Michael, also used as an independent name, particularly in the US.
Modern American English trendy variant and phoenetic respelling of the traditional Michael.
Although originally a Jewish name, this is not generally used by Russian Jews.
Respelling of Mishael.
Pet form of Mitchell.
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'
Spanish and Portuguese forms of Moses.
Mordechai saved the Jews from the destruction planned by Haman, an event which is celebrated by the Jewish feast of Purim.
English form of Moshe.
According to the Bible, Moses was born to a Hebrew mother who protected him during a genocide of all newborn boys, and was adopted into the Egyptian royal family. He later freed the Hebrew slaves, leading them out of
Hebrew name of the Biblical figure Moses. Its meaning of 'drawn out of the water', also referring to the Pharaoh's daughter saving the baby Moses from the river, is said to come from the phrase "Min Hamayim Meshitihu' - "I drew him out of the water".
Nickname for Nathan or Nathaniel.
In the Old Testament, Nathan is a prophet who served King David and his son, who was also called Nathan. Nathan is also used as a short form of Nathaniel or Jonathan.
In the Gospel of John in the Bible, Nathaniel is named as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is not mentioned in any of the other gospels, and so is normally associated with Bartholomew.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist,
Nehemiah is a character in the Bible. He organized the rebuilding of Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile. The Book of Nehemiah is a continuation of the works set out in the Book of Ezra.
In the Old Testament, Noah rounded up two of every species and built an ark in order to survive the great Flood. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights and everyone on earth died except Noah and his family. After the Flood God sent a rainbow as a sign of the
Omar was borne in the Old Testament by a son of Eliphaz, Esau's eldest son. It is also a variant of Umar in Arabic, derived from the root 'umr meaning life.
Oren is a Hebrew Old Testament name meaning ash or pine. The son of Jerahmeel.
It may also be a variant of Irish name Oran, derived from Odhran.
Completely modern creation who's popularity has been influenced greatly by recording artist Raekwon. No known meaning or clear etymological lineage.
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
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
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.
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
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 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
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Anglicised form of Sean.
Respelling of Sean, an Anglicized variant of Seán.
Alternate spelling of Shay.
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
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.
Toby can be a nickname for Tobias, Tobiah or Tobin, or a stand-alone name.
In Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' Sir Toby Belch is the frequently drunk uncle of Olivia.
In British 'Punch and Judy' shows, Punch's dog is called Toby
A recently coined combination of the nickname Ty with the name Shawn.
In the Bible Uriah is the husband of Bathsheba. He was put on the front lines of battle to guarantee his death, after which King David married Bathsheba.
In Hebrew lore, Uriel is one of the seven archangels.
In the Old Testament, Yaakov is the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham.
In the Old Testament, Yamin was a son of Simeon.
From the Hebrew meaning "thanks, gratitude", "praise."
In the Old Testament, Yehuda was a son of Jacob and Leah, who later married Tamar.
From the Hebrew meaning "the Lord is God" or "God is willing."
The name of a prophet in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, Yosef (Joseph in English) was the 11th son of Jacob and the first son of Rachel.
Zac could be used as a short form of Zacary, Zacchaeus, Zacharias, or any other Zac- variant.
Zacarias is the Spanish form of Zacharias.
As a Hebrew independent name, Zach or Zak means "pure; clean; innocent".
Zach is more frequently used in English-speaking countries as a nickname for Zachary (meaning "the Lord remembers"), Zachariah, Zachaeus, Issac, or any other Zach- variant.
Zacharias is originally the Greek cognate of the Hebrew name Zechariah.
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
Zackary is a respelling of the traditional Zachary.
As a Hebrew name, Zak may be an independent name meaning "pure; clean; innocent". It may also be taken as a diminutive form of Zachary (Zecharya) meaning "the Lord remembers" or Isaac (Yitzchak) "he will laugh".
Zeb may be used as a nickname for any name starting with Zeb-, including Zebulun and Zebadiah.
From the Hebrew Zevulun.
In the Old Testament, Zebulon is one of Jacob's twelve sons and brother to Joseph and Benjamin.
In the Old Testament, Zebulun is one of Jacob's twelve sons.
In the Old Testament, Zechariah was the 14th king of Israel after the monarchy split. Another bearer of the name was one of the 12 Minor prophets.
In the Greek Bible, Zechariah was the husband of Elizabeth and the father of John the Baptist.
Zeke can also be a nickname for the Hebrew Zecharia meaning "memory."
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
"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
The name is borne by French-American actress Arielle Dombasle and American actress Arielle Kebbel.
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
Nickname for Rebecca.
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
Nickname for Elizabeth or Bethany.
Welsh short form of Elizabeth.
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
Nickname for Elizabeth.
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.
To create this name the spelling of Carmel was altered to fit the Latin noun 'carmen' (song). Carmen is the name of a famous opera by Bizet.
Carmen Electra (born Tara Leigh Patrick), is an American glamor model, actress, television personal
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).
Variant transcription of Hannah.
Daniela Hantuchová is a Slovak tennis player. In the US, the name is particularly popular in California, where it was #60 in 2006. In Spain it was #19.
The feminine form of Daniel, Danielle rose to popularity in the US in the 1980s, when it was in the top 20. Author Danielle Steel is a famous bearer.
Thought to have been an anglicization of either the Latin Diana or Diane or a feminine form of Dean.
Deborah is a Biblical judge and prophetess who guided the Israelite forces under Barak to victory over the Canaanites led by Sisera. Sisera himself was killed by another woman - Jael - who drove a tent peg into his skull. A different Deborah is mentioned
Contraction of Deborah.
Aglicization or respelling of Dina.
A Biblical name of uncertain origin. Delilah may come from the Hebrew 'dal' meaning "weak, poor", or maybe from the words meaning "hair" or "slender; delicate". In the Old Testament, Delilah was the Philistine woman who betrayed Samson by cutting off his
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.
The Latin "Eliana" derives from the Latin family name "Aelianus," which corresponds to the Greek word Helios (sun).
It is also a Hebrew name, meaning "God has answered".
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
A short form of Elisabeth, Elissa is also bestowed as an independent given name.
Elissa is another name of the mythological, famous and tragic queen Dido of Carthage. Her history and faith formed a part of the plot of Virgil's Aeneas.
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
Variant spelling of Eliana.
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 pet form of Elizabeth.
Modern variation of Elise.
A variant of Elissa, a short form of Elizabeth.
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
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.
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.
Gianna is a nickname for Giovanna.
Hanna is a form of the name Hannah, as well as a name from the Hausa language meaning "joy."
In the Old Testament, Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel. She had been unable to bear her husband Elkanah a child, and so prayed at the temple that if God gave her a son then she would give him up to be a priest. When the child, Samuel, was born,
Although of disputed origin, Isabel is often taken as a form of Elizabeth. Isabel first gained popularity in Spain in the Middle Ages, and it was soon exported to France and England.
Isabel was the name of the Princess Imperial of Brazil
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.
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
Janessa is likely a variation on the name Vanessa.
Janette can also be a form of Jeannette, pronounced "juh NET."
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.
Possibly a variation on the name Kayla. This name was recently borne by a contestant on the U.S. reality show "America's Next Top Model," which may partly account for its current popularity. Note its similarity to the word 'jailer'.
In English the pronunciation of this name is sometimes anglicised to 'jeen'.
Diminutive form of Jeanne.
Jeannine is a diminutive form of Jeanne.
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
A modern feminine variant of Jonathan.
A feminine form of Joseph or José.
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
Judy is the most common spelling of this name and is the short form of the name Judith.
A short form of Michaela (McKayla), or perhaps an elaboration on Kayley.
A short form of Michaela (McKaylah), or perhaps an elaboration on Kayley.
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
Princess Leia is a fictional character of the Star Wars galaxy.
This name started as a nickname for Elizabeth but is now used as a given name on its own.
This name was first recorded in the 16th century as a diminutive of Elizabeth. It is now more commonly considered to be connected with the name Lily.
Lilian also happens to be the French male form of Liliane.
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
This short form of Elisabeth is extremely popular as a full given name.
The French pronounciation of the name is [lee ZET].
It is a French petform of Elizabeth.
Alongside with Lison, Lisette was common from the beginning of the 18th century on.
It is a name that appears often in comedies. Lison is the jo
Coinage, derived from Lisa or Lisette.
Variant of Madeleine.
A respelling of the traditional Madeline which was a hit in Australia in the mid 90's to 2002.
French cognate of Magdalene, also in common use in English-speaking countries.
A madeleine is a famous sort of French butter cookie or cake. Several French communes and geographical features are named Madeleine after Mary Magdalene.
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.
Latinate form of Madgalene.
American variant spelling of Malia.
Hawaiian form of Mary.
As a Japanese name, Mari may be written with the characters for "truth" (ma) and "reason; truth" (ri). Other possibilities include "ten thousand" or "flax" for 'ma' and "hometown; village" (ri).
Mari is a nickname for the Russian name Mariy
Latin form of Mary.
It arose as a back-formation from the early Christian Greek name Mariam, which was taken as a Latin accusative case, and is ultimately derived from Hebrew Miryam.
In the English-speaking world, Maria was the writ
The pronunciation of our modern "Mariah" was actually a common pronunciation of the name "Maria" in nineteenth-century England. This alternate spelling has retained the nineteenth-century pronunciation. The "h" was probably added to appear more Biblical
Combination of the Spanish names Maria (from the Hebrew, possibly meaning "bitter") and Celia (from the Latin meaning "heaven").
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.
Occasional variant of Mariella or Mariel.
Pet form of Marie.
Slavic pet form of Maria. Marika is also a Japanese name for which the characters reading "jasmine" may be used.
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
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.
Spanish name composed of Maria and Sol.
'Sol' is the Spanish word for sun. It might also be a short of Maria Soledad, 'soledad' meaning "loneliness".
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
An elaboration of Maria.
Respelling of Maria.
Modern alterned form of Marlene, or else a name invented as a feminine equivalent of Marlon.
Blend of Maria and Madgalene, used by the German actress Marlene Dietrich as her stage name.
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
Arabic variant of the Hebrew Miryam.
Maryam is a popular name throughout the Arab world.
Compound name formed of Mary and Ann.
Trendy phonetic respelling of the traditional Mattea.
Feminine form of Matteo, the Italian cognate of Matthew.
Anglicized form of Máirín.
A modern respelling of Michaela to incorporate the popular prefix 'Mc' with the also very popular name 'Kayla.'
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".
Respelling of Michaela.
Mikal is a variant spelling of Mikhal or Michal, a contrated form of Michael.
In the Old Testament, Mikhal was a daughter of King Saul, who married David.
Modern American English variant of the traditional Michaela.
Modern respelling of Michaela, meaning "Who is like God?".
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".
Recent name, probably formed from the Hebrew name Moshe, original form of Moses.
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,
English form of Moriya.
In the Bible, Moriah is the name given to the mountain or mountain range where Abraham led his son Isaac for the sacrifice ordered by God.
The meaning of the name Moriya is debated.
Jewish scholars have
Modern American English variation on the traditional Nayeli.
In the Old Testament, Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth.
The name is borne by supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Naomi Watts and journalist Naomi Klein.
It is noted by some playground-goers that "Naomi" spells "I moan" bac
The Hebrew girls' name Noa is derived from the Hebrew, meaning "motion; movement".
In the Old Testament, Noa was a daughter of Zelophehad.
The Japanese name Noa may be written with the characters for "from; possessive particle; where
Lyrical translation and modernization of the Hebrew Ofra. Most widely associated with American journalist and celebrity Oprah Winfrey.
From the Hebrew meaning light. Also a more modern name based on Latin oro "to pray".
This name is a variant of the Hebrew name Orali, but it could also be an English variant of French name Aurélie.
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.
Hebrew female name, meaning "friend".
Raya can also be a pet form of the Bulgarian Rayna.
The Indian title Raya is related to Raja.
Sometimes touted as meaning 'to tie/to bind' or 'heifer', this name is of doubtful meaning and probably has its roots in Aramaic. The Biblical Rebecca was the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament and the mother of Jacob and Esau.
This is al
This spelling is seen as a more faithful transliteration of the Hebrew. It is commonly used by the Jewish people of Poland.
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
Originally a pet form of Sarah it now stands on its own.
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
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
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.
Alternate spelling of Shannon.
Creation of modern times possibly combining Sharon or Sheryl and Rita or simply the common prefix "Sha" with the common latinate ending "ita" or "rita". popular in the US in the mid 1080's.
A variant of Sharon influenced by the name Rhonda.
Shawnee is the name of a Native American Indian people.
Modern coinage, possibly based on the name Cheryl or Sherry.
The name reached rank #709 of the US top of names in 1985.
Phonetic spelling of the French word 'chèrie'.
Female variant of Simon. The name was extremely popular in the 1920s to 1950s in France and is now extremely rare, considered out-dated.
Simone de Beauvoir was a French author and philosopher who wrote one of the founding feminist tracts. N
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.
Respelling of Talia.
Tamara de Lempicka was a Polish art deco painter. Tamara or Tammy Faye was an American Christian evangelist.
Ximena is considered an Old Spanish feminine form of Simon.
From the Hebrew meaning "right hand" and signifying strength.
A nickname for Susanna, though could potentially be used on its own.