All Items

Norton

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈnɔɹ.tən/ (American English)/ˈnɔː.tən/ (British English)

From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "north town" in Old English.

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Laurel

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈlɔɹ.əl/ ()

From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

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Salome

Usage

English (Rare)German (Rare)GeorgianBiblicalBiblical LatinBiblical Greek [1][1]

Gender

Feminine

Scripts

სალომე (Georgian)Σαλώμη (Ancient Greek)

Pronounced

/sə.ˈloʊ.mi/ (English)

From an Aramaic name that was related to the Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". According to the historian Josephus this was the name of the daughter of Herodias (the consort of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee). In the New Testament, though a specific name is not given, it was a daughter of Herodias who danced for Herod and was rewarded with the head of John the Baptist, and thus Salome and the dancer have traditionally been equated.

As a Christian given name, Salome has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation. This was due to a second person of this name in the New Testament: one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion and later discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty. It is used in Georgia due to the 4th-century Salome of Ujarma, who is considered a saint in the Georgian Church.

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Sutton

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈsʌt.ən/ ()

From a surname, itself derived from the name of numerous English towns, of Old English origin meaning "south town".

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Purity

Usage

English (African)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈpjʊɹ.ɪ.ti/ ()

From the English word purity, of Latin origin. This name is most common in Kenya, Zambia and other parts of Africa.

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Alfred

Usage

EnglishFrenchSwedishNorwegianDanishGermanPolishDutchCatalanAlbanian

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈæl.fɹəd/ (English)/al.fʁɛd/ (French)/ˈal.fʁeːt/ (German)/ˈal.frɛt/ (Polish)/ˈɑl.frət/ (Dutch)/əɫ.ˈfɾɛt/ (Catalan)

Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice" [1][2][3][4]. Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.

Famous bearers include the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), the Swedish inventor and Nobel Prize founder Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), and the British-American film director Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980).

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Tenley

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈtɛn.li/ ()

From an English surname, itself possibly from a place name derived from Old English tind "point" and leah "woodland, clearing". This name was popularized in 2010 by a contestant on the reality television series The Bachelor.

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Kellen

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɛl.ən/ ()

Possibly from a German surname, itself derived from Middle Low German kel "swampy area". This name began to be used in the United States in the early 1980s after the American football player Kellen Winslow (1957-) began his professional career.

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Amaya

Usage

BasqueSpanishEnglish (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/a.ˈma.ʝa/ (Spanish)/ə.ˈmaɪ.ə/ (English)

Variant of Amaia.

In America, this name was popularized in 1999 by a contestant on the reality television series The Real World [1].

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Jacob

Usage

EnglishDutchSwedishNorwegianDanishJewishBiblical

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

יַעֲקֹב (Hebrew)

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒeɪ.kəb/ (English)/ˈjaː.kɔp/ (Dutch)/ˈjɑː.kɔp/ (Swedish)YAH-kob (Danish)

From the Latin Iacob, which was from the Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter" [1][2], because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Yaʿaqovʾel) meaning "may God protect" [3].

The English names Jacob and James derive from the same source, with James coming from Latin Iacomus, a later variant of the Latin New Testament form Iacobus. Unlike English, many languages do not have separate spellings for the two names.

In England, Jacob was mainly regarded as a Jewish name during the Middle Ages [4], though the variant James was used among Christians. Jacob came into general use as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation. In America, although already moderately common, it steadily grew in popularity from the early 1970s to the end of the 1990s, becoming the top ranked name from 1999 to 2012.

A famous bearer was Jacob Grimm (1785-1863), the German linguist and writer who was, with his brother Wilhelm, the author of Grimm's Fairy Tales.

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Melville

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈmɛl.vɪl/ ()

From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.

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Myrtle

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɜɹ.təl/ (American English)/ˈmɜː.təl/ (British English)

Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μύρτος (myrtos) [1]. It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

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Kimberlyn

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈkɪm.bəɹ.lɪn/ (American English)/ˈkɪm.bə.lɪn/ (British English)

Elaboration of Kimberly using the popular name suffix lyn.

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Wilson

Usage

EnglishSpanish (Latin American)Portuguese

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈwɪl.sən/ (English)/ˈwil.son/ (Spanish)

From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.

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Kiefer

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈki.fəɹ/ (American English)/ˈkiː.fə/ (British English)

From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".

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Chester

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈt͡ʃɛs.təɹ/ (American English)/ˈt͡ʃɛs.tə/ (British English)

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin castrum "camp, fortress".

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Briar

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈbɹaɪ.əɹ/ (American English)/ˈbɹaɪ.ə/ (British English)

From the English word for the thorny plant.

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Joshua

Usage

EnglishBiblical

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Ancient Hebrew)

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ (American English)/ˈd͡ʒɒʃ.uː.ə/ (British English)

From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshuaʿ) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save" [1][2][3][4]. As told in the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of Moses. He went up Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God, and later he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan. After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites and he led the conquest of Canaan. His original name was Hoshea.

The name Jesus comes from a Greek transcription of the Aramaic short form יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshuaʿ), which was the real name of Jesus. As an English name, Joshua has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.

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Roscoe

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɹɑs.koʊ/ (American English)/ˈɹɒs.kəʊ/ (British English)

From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse "roebuck" and skógr "wood, forest".

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Jefferson

Usage

EnglishPortuguese (Brazilian)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒɛf.əɹ.sən/ (American English)/ˈd͡ʒɛf.ə.sən/ (British English)

From the English surname Jefferson meaning "son of Jeffrey". It is usually given in honour of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

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Bryant

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈbɹaɪ.ənt/ ()

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Brian.

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Logan

Usage

English

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈloʊ.ɡən/ ()

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix) [1]. This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.

The name has been very common throughout the English-speaking world since end of the 20th century. In the United States it reached a high point in 2017, when it ranked as the fifth most popular name for boys.

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Turner

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈtɜɹ.nəɹ/ (American English)/ˈtɜː.nə/ (British English)

From the English surname Turner, which indicated a person who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.

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Lowen

Usage

English (Modern)Dutch (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Modern name, probably based on similar-sounding names such as Owen or Rowan, or possibly inspired by Cornish lowen "happy".

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Saffron

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈsæf.ɹən/ ()

From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (zaʿfarān), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".

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Winton

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈwɪn.tən/ ()

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "enclosure belonging to Wine" in Old English.

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Hayley

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈheɪ.li/ ()

From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing" [1][2][3]). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-) [4].

This is the most common spelling of this name in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand; in the United States the spellings Haley and Hailey are more popular.

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Calanthe

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/kə.ˈlæn.θi/ ()

From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower".

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Eldred

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɛl.dɹɪd/ ()

From an English surname that was derived from Ealdræd.

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Darcy

Usage

English

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈdɑɹ.si/ (American English)/ˈdɑː.si/ (British English)

From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from the town of Arcy in La Manche, France. This is the surname of a character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice (1813).

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Gerard

Usage

EnglishDutchCatalanPolish

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/d͡ʒɪ.ˈɹɑɹd/ (American English)/ˈd͡ʒɛɹ.əd/ (British English)/ˈɣeː.rɑrt/ (Dutch)/ʒə.ˈɾart/ (Catalan)/ˈɡɛ.rart/ (Polish)

Derived from the Old German element ger meaning "spear" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy" [1][2][3][4]. This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name Gerald [5], with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.

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Apple

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈæp.əl/ ()

From the English word for the fruit, derived from Middle English appel, Old English æppel. The American actress Gwenyth Paltrow and British musician Chris Martin gave this name to their daughter in 2004.

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Edison

Usage

EnglishPortuguese (Brazilian)Spanish (Latin American)Albanian

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɛd.ɪ.sən/ (English)/ˈe.ði.son/ (Spanish)

From an English surname that meant either "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam". A famous bearer of the surname was the American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).

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Cleveland

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkliːv.lənd/ ()

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "cliff land" (from Old English clif and land). This was the surname of American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). It is also the name of an American city, which was founded by surveyor Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806).

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Tex

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈtɛks/ ()

From a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.

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Carlisa

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/kɑɹ.ˈli.sə/ (American English)/kɑː.ˈliː.sə/ (British English)

Combination of Carla and Lisa.

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Cash

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkæʃ/ ()

From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).

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Isaac

Usage

EnglishSpanishPortugueseCatalanFrenchJewishBiblicalBiblical Latin

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

יִצְחָק (Hebrew)

Pronounced

/ˈaɪ.zək/ (English)/i.sa.ˈak/ (Spanish)/i.zak/ (French)/i.za.ak/ (French)

From the Hebrew name יִצְחָק (Yitsḥaq) meaning "he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from צָחַק (tsaḥaq) meaning "to laugh" [1][2]. The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of Esau and Jacob with his wife Rebecca.

As an English Christian name, Isaac was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, though it was more common among Jews [3]. It became more widespread after the Protestant Reformation. Famous bearers include the physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton (1643-1727) and the science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov (1920-1992).

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Marilyn

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmæɹ.ə.lɪn/ ()

Combination of Mary and the common name suffix lyn. It was very rare before the start of the 20th century [1]. It was popularized in part by the American stage star Marilyn Miller (1898-1936), who was born Mary Ellen Reynolds and took her stage name from a combination of her birth name and her mother's middle name Lynn. It became popular in the United States during the 1920s, reaching a high point ranked 13th in 1936. Famous bearers include American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962; real name Norma Jeane Mortenson) and American opera singer Marilyn Horne (1934-).

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Festus

Usage

Ancient Roman [1][1]Biblical LatinBiblicalEnglish (African)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈfeː.stus/ (Latin)

Roman cognomen, possibly meaning "festival, holiday" in Latin. This was the name of a Roman official in the New Testament.

At present it is most commonly used in English-speaking Africa.

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Yolanda

Usage

SpanishEnglish

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ɟ͡ʝo.ˈlan.da/ (Spanish)/joʊ.ˈlɑn.də/ (American English)/jəʊ.ˈlɒn.də/ (British English)

From the medieval French name Yolande, which was probably a form of the name Violante, which was itself a derivative of Latin viola "violet" [1][2]. Alternatively it could be of Germanic origin [3][4][5].

This name was borne by a 12th-century empress of the Latin Empire in Constantinople, who was originally from Flanders. It was also used by her descendants in the royal families of Hungary (spelled Jolánta) and Spain (sometimes spelled Violante). The Blessed Yolanda of Poland was a daughter of Béla IV of Hungary who married a Polish duke. It was also borne by Yolanda of Vianden, a 13th-century countess from Luxembourg who joined a convent against her parents' wishes, later becoming the subject of medieval legend. Another notable bearer was a 15th-century duchess of Lorraine, the subject of the opera Iolanta (1892) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

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Stormy

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈstɔɹ.mi/ (American English)/ˈstɔː.mi/ (British English)

From the English word meaning "stormy, wild, turbulent", ultimately from Old English stormig.

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Elihu

Usage

BiblicalBiblical Hebrew [1][1]English (Archaic)

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

אֶלִיהוּא (Ancient Hebrew)

Pronounced

/ɪ.ˈlaɪ.hju/ (English)/i.ˈlaɪ.ˌhju/ (English)

Means "my God is he" in Hebrew, from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and הוּא (hu) meaning "he". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament including one of the friends of Job.

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Joseph

Usage

EnglishFrenchGermanBiblical

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

יוֹסֵף (Ancient Hebrew)ജോസഫ് (Malayalam)

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒoʊ.sɪf/ (American English)/ˈd͡ʒəʊ.zɪf/ (British English)/ʒo.zɛf/ (French)/ˈjoː.zɛf/ (German)

From Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add" [1], from the root יָסַף (yasaf) meaning "to add, to increase" [2]. In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob and the first with his wife Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.

In the Middle Ages, Joseph was a common Jewish name, being less frequent among Christians. In the late Middle Ages Saint Joseph became more highly revered, and the name became popular in Spain and Italy. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation. In the United States it has stayed within the top 25 names for boys since 1880, making it one of the most enduringly popular names of this era.

This name was borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Portugal. Other notable bearers include Austrian composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), the founder of Mormonism Joseph Smith (1805-1844), Polish-British author Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) and Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (1878-1953).

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Fern

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈfɜɹn/ (American English)/ˈfɜːn/ (British English)

From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

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Arlen

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɑɹ.lən/ ()

Meaning unknown, possibly from a surname.

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Jodene

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒoʊ.din/ ()

Feminine elaboration of Jody.

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Audley

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɔd.li/ ()

From a surname that was taken from a place name meaning "Ealdgyð's clearing" in Old English.

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Misty

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɪs.ti/ ()

From the English word misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.

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Petunia

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/pə.ˈtuːn.jə/ ()

From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from Tupi, an indigenous language of Brazil.

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Liberty

Usage

English

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈlɪb.əɹ.ti/ (American English)/ˈlɪb.ə.ti/ (British English)

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

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Sterling

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈstɜɹ.lɪŋ/ (American English)/ˈstɜː.lɪŋ/ (British English)

From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".

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Allegra

Usage

ItalianEnglish (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/al.ˈlɛː.ɡra/ (Italian)/ə.ˈlɛɡ.ɹə/ (English)

Means "cheerful, lively" in Italian. It was borne by a short-lived illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (1817-1822).

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Porter

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈpɔɹ.təɹ/ (American English)/ˈpɔː.tə/ (British English)

From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

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Patience

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈpeɪ.ʃəns/ ()

From the English word patience, ultimately from Latin patientia, a derivative of pati "to suffer". This was one of the virtue names coined by the Puritans in the 17th century. It is now most commonly used in African countries where English is widely understood, such as Nigeria and Ghana.

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Zion

Usage

JewishEnglish

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

צִיוֹן (Hebrew)

Pronounced

/ˈzaɪ.ən/ (English)

From the name of a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem. Zion is also used to refer to a Jewish homeland and to heaven.

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Bernard

Usage

EnglishFrenchDutchPolishCroatianSloveneCzechGermanic [1][1]

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/bəɹ.ˈnɑɹd/ (American English)/ˈbɜː.nəd/ (British English)/bɛʁ.naʁ/ (French)/ˈbɛr.nɑrt/ (Dutch)/ˈbɛr.nart/ (Polish)/ˈběr.nard/ (Croatian)

Derived from the Old German element bern "bear" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" [1][2]. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard [3]. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976) and the French cyclist Bernard Hinault (1954-).

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Auden

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈɔ.dən/ ()

From the English surname Auden, itself derived from a given name, either Old English Ealdwine or Old Norse Hálfdan.

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Kipling

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɪp.lɪŋ/ ()

From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "Cyppel's people". The surname was borne by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), a British novelist born in India who wrote The Jungle Book and other works.

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Eleanor

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈɛl.ə.nɔɹ/ (American English)/ˈɛl.ə.nɔː/ (British English)

From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. Reportedly she was named after her mother Aenor using the Latin phrase alia Aenor meaning "the other Aenor" [1]. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.

The popularity of the name Eleanor in England during the Middle Ages was due to the fame of Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as two queens of the following century: Eleanor of Provence, the wife of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I. More recently, it was borne by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the wife of American president Franklin Roosevelt.

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Mary

Usage

EnglishBiblical

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɛɹ.i/ (English)

Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament [1][2][3][4]. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love" [5].

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. In the United States in 1880 it was given more than twice as often as the next most popular name for girls (Anna). It remained in the top rank in America until 1946 when it was bumped to second (by Linda). Although it regained the top spot for a few more years in the 1950s it was already falling in usage, and has since dropped out of the top 100 names.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of Frankenstein. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.

The Latinized form of this name, Maria, is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

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Margaret

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/ (American English)/ˈmɑɹ.ɡə.ɹɪt/ (American English)/ˈmɑː.ɡɹɪt/ (British English)/ˈmɑː.ɡə.ɹɪt/ (British English)

Derived from the Latin name Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl" [1][2], a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language [3]. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.

As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it declined in the latter half of the 20th century.

Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of Gone with the Wind, and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-). Others include American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

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Halo

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈheɪ.loʊ/ ()

From the English word halo meaning "luminous disc or ring", derived from Greek ἅλως (halos). Haloes often appear in religious art above the heads of holy people.

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Gareth

Usage

WelshEnglish (British)Arthurian Cycle

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɡæɹ.əθ/ (British English)

Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).

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Cassandra

Usage

EnglishFrenchGreek Mythology (Latinized)

Gender

Feminine

Scripts

Κασσάνδρα (Ancient Greek)

Pronounced

/kə.ˈsæn.dɹə/ (English)/kə.ˈsɑːn.dɹə/ (English)/ka.sɑ̃.dʁa/ (French)

From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to surpass" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) [1][2][3][4]. Another theory connects the first element to κασσύω (kassyo) meaning "to stitch up a plot" [5][6]. In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England due to the popularity of medieval tales about the Trojan War. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.

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Blanche

Usage

FrenchEnglish

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/blɑ̃ʃ/ (French)/ˈblænt͡ʃ/ (American English)/ˈblɑːnt͡ʃ/ (British English)

From a medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.

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Bonita

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/bə.ˈni.tə/ ()

Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.

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Marvel

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɑɹ.vl̩/ ()

From the English word meaning "a miracle, a wonder", derived from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful".

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Given

Usage

English (African)

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈɡɪv.ən/ ()

From the English word given, the past participle of give, of Old Norse origin. This name is most common in Zambia and other parts of southern Africa.

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Lily

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈlɪl.i/ ()

From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium [1]. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).

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Brenton

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈbɹɛn.tən/ ()

From a surname that was derived from an English place name meaning "Bryni's town". Bryni was an Old English name meaning "fire".

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Rutherford

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

From the Scottish surname Rutherford, itself derived from the name of a town meaning "cattle ford" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).

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Bambi

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈbæm.bi/ ()

Derived from Italian bambina meaning "young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.

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Melba

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈmɛl.bə/ ()

From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.

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Perry

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈpɛɹ.i/ ()

From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.

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Peony

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈpiː.ə.ni/ ()

From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god Pæon.

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Courtney

Usage

English

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɔɹt.ni/ (American English)/ˈkɔːt.ni/ (British English)

From the aristocratic English surname Courtney, which was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".

Originally an uncommon unisex name in America, it became more popular for girls in the mid-1960s. It began rapidly increasing after 1973, possibly due to a character (played by Natalie Wood) in the television movie The Affair. It reached an apex in the United States ranked 17th in 1990, though it has quickly fallen away since then.

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Titan

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈtaɪ.tən/ ()

From the English word referring to one of the giant gods who were overthrown by the Olympian gods in Greek mythology, derived from Greek Τιτάν (Titan). By extension the word can refer to anyone who is large or great. This is also the name of the largest moon of Saturn.

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Chantal

Usage

FrenchEnglishDutch

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ʃɑ̃.tal/ (French)/ʃɑn.ˈtɑl/ (English)/ʃɑn.ˈtæl/ (English)

From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French chant "song".

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Haisley

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈheɪz.li/ ()

Modern name, probably a blend of Hayley or Hazel and Paisley.

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Happy

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈhæp.i/ ()

From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.

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Chandler

Usage

English

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈt͡ʃænd.ləɹ/ (American English)/ˈt͡ʃænd.lə/ (British English)

From an occupational surname that meant "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom Friends, featuring a character by this name.

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Rayner

Usage

English (Archaic)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɹeɪ.nəɹ/ (American English)/ˈɹeɪ.nə/ (British English)

From the Germanic name Raginheri, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and heri "army" [1][2][3][4]. Saint Rainerius was a 12th-century hermit from Pisa. The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.

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Salina

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.

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Howard

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈhaʊ.əɹd/ (American English)/ˈhaʊ.əd/ (British English)

From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).

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Baron

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈbæɹ.ən/ ()

From the noble title, derived from Latin baro (genitive baronis) meaning "man, freeman", probably ultimately of Frankish origin.

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Fisher

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈfɪʃ.əɹ/ (American English)/ˈfɪʃ.ə/ (British English)

From an English surname meaning "fisherman".

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Curly

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɜɹ.li/ (American English)/ˈkɜː.li/ (British English)

From a nickname, typically given to a person with curly hair.

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Capri

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈkæp.ɹi/ ()/kə.ˈpɹiː/ ()

From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin capri meaning "goats".

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Oral

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɔɹ.əl/ ()

Meaning uncertain. This name was borne by the influential American evangelist Oral Roberts (1918-2009), who was apparently named by his cousin.

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Maria

Usage

ItalianPortugueseCatalanOccitanGermanSwedishNorwegianDanishFaroeseDutchFrisianGreekPolishRomanianEnglishFinnishEstonianCorsicanSardinianBasqueArmenianRussianBulgarianUkrainianBiblical Greek [1][1]Biblical LatinOld Church Slavic

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Scripts

Μαρία (Greek)Մարիա (Armenian)Мария (Russian)Марія (Ukrainian)Маріа (Church Slavic)

Pronounced

/ma.ˈri.a/ (Italian)/mɐ.ˈɾi.ɐ/ (European Portuguese)/ma.ˈɾi.ɐ/ (Brazilian Portuguese)/mə.ˈɾi.ə/ (Catalan)/ma.ˈʁiː.a/ (German)/ma.ˈriː.a/ (Swedish)/mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ (Norwegian)/mɑ.ˈʁiː.æ/ (Danish)/maː.ˈri.aː/ (Dutch)/ma.ˈɾi.a/ (Greek)/ˈmar.ja/ (Polish)/mə.ˈɹiː.ə/ (English)/ˈmɑ.ri.ɑ/ (Finnish)/mɐ.ˈrʲi.jə/ (Russian)/mɐ.ˈrʲi.jɐ/ (Ukrainian)

Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name [2].

This was the name of two ruling queens of Portugal. It was also borne by the Habsburg queen Maria Theresa (1717-1780), whose inheritance of the domains of her father, the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, began the War of the Austrian Succession.

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Avery

Usage

English

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈeɪ.və.ɹi/ ()/ˈeɪv.ɹi/ ()

From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred [1][2].

As a given name, it was used on the American sitcom Murphy Brown (1988-1998) for both the mother and son of the main character. By 1998 it was more popular as a name for girls in the United States, perhaps further inspired by a character from the movie Jerry Maguire (1996).

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Cherie

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈʃɛɹ.i/ ()/ʃə.ˈɹi/ ()

Derived from French chérie meaning "darling". In America, Cherie came into use shortly after the variant Sherry, and has not been as common.

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Moriah

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Scripts

מֹרִיָה (Ancient Hebrew)

Pronounced

/mɔ.ˈɹaɪ.ə/ ()

From Hebrew מֹרִיָה (Moriya) possibly meaning "seen by Yahweh". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where Abraham is to sacrifice Isaac and the mountain upon which Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.

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Cindra

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈsɪn.dɹə/ ()

Combination of Cindy and Sandra.

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Dakota

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/də.ˈkoʊ.tə/ ()

From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). The tribal name means "allies, friends" in the Dakota language.

It was rare as an American given name before 1975. In the mid-1980s it began growing in popularity for boys after a character by this name began appearing on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. It is now more common as a feminine name, probably due to the fame of the actress Dakota Fanning (1994-).

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Juniper

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒun.ɪ.pəɹ/ (American English)/ˈd͡ʒuːn.ɪ.pə/ (British English)

From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

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Jazlyn

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒæz.lɪn/ ()

Combination of the popular phonetic elements jaz and lyn.

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Jane

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒeɪn/ ()

Medieval English form of Jehanne [1][2], an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only nine days, British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-2025), and American actress Jane Fonda (1937-). This is also the name of the central character in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), which tells of Jane's sad childhood and her relationship with Edward Rochester.

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