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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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Quincy

Usage

English

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈkwɪn.si/ ()

From an English surname that was derived (via the place name Cuinchy) from the personal name Quintus. A famous bearer was John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth president of the United States, who was born in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts. Both the town and the president were named after his maternal great-grandfather John Quincy (1689-1767). Another notable bearer is the American musician Quincy Jones (1933-2024).

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Hallam

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈhæl.əm/ ()

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "at the rocks" or "at the nook" in Old English.

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York

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈjɔɹk/ (American English)/ˈjɔːk/ (British English)

From an English surname that was derived from York, the name of a city in northern England. The city name was originally Eburacon, Latinized as Eboracum, meaning "yew" in Brythonic. In the Anglo-Saxon period it was corrupted to Eoforwic, as if from Old English eofor "boar" and wic "village". This was rendered as Jórvík by the Vikings and eventually reduced to York.

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Nova

Usage

EnglishSwedish (Modern)Dutch (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈnoʊ.və/ (English)/ˈnoː.va/ (Swedish)/ˈnoː.vaː/ (Dutch)

Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.

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Emberlynn

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

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

Elaboration of Ember using the popular name suffix lyn.

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Hoyt

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈhɔɪt/ ()

From an English surname that was derived from Middle English hoit "stick", originally a nickname for a thin person.

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Araminta

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Meaning unknown. This name was (first?) used by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor (1693) and later by John Vanbrugh in his comedy The Confederacy (1705). This was the original given name of abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), who was born Araminta Ross.

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Ainsley

Usage

ScottishEnglish (Modern)

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈeɪnz.li/ (English)

From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English anne "alone, solitary" or ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing".

In America, this name received a boost of popularity in 2000 when a character bearing it began appearing on the television series The West Wing.

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Fortune

Usage

FrenchEnglish (Rare)

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/fɔʁ.tyn/ (French)/ˈfɔɹ.t͡ʃən/ (American English)/ˈfɔː.t͡ʃuːn/ (British English)

Simply from the word fortune, ultimately from Latin fortuna, a derivative of fors "luck".

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Christopher

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ (American English)/ˈkɹɪs.tə.fə/ (British English)

From the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστός (Christos) combined with φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.

As an English given name, Christopher has been in general use since the 15th century. It became very popular in the second half of the 20th century, reaching the top of the charts for England and Wales in the 1980s, and nearing it in the United States.

In Denmark this name was borne by three kings (their names are usually spelled Christoffer), including the 15th-century Christopher of Bavaria who also ruled Norway and Sweden. Other famous bearers include Italian explorer Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), English architect Christopher Wren (1632-1723) and the fictional character Christopher Robin from A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.

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Milford

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈmɪl.fəɹd/ (American English)/ˈmɪl.fəd/ (British English)

From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.

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Jepson

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒɛp.sən/ ()

From an English surname that meant "son of Jep".

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Onyx

Usage

English

Gender

MasculineFeminine

Pronounced

/ˈɑn.ɪks/ (American English)/ˈɒn.ɪks/ (British English)

From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".

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Stuart

Usage

EnglishScottish

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈstu.əɹt/ (American English)/ˈstju.əɹt/ (American English)/ˈstuː.ət/ (British English)/ˈstjuː.ət/ (British English)

From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.

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Jett

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒɛt/ ()

From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).

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Trenton

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈtɹɛn.tən/ ()

From the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent. It means "Trent's town".

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Creed

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɹiːd/ ()

From the English word creed meaning "set of beliefs", ultimately from Latin credo meaning "to believe".

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Aster

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

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

From the name of the flower, which is derived via Latin from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star".

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Aspen

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈæs.pən/ ()

From the English word for a variety of deciduous trees in the genus Populus, derived from Old English æspe. It is also the name of a ski resort in Colorado.

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Evans

Usage

English (African)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈɛv.ənz/ (English)

From the Welsh surname Evans, itself derived from Evan. As a given name, Evans is most common in Africa.

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Sunny

Usage

English

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈsʌn.i/ ()

From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".

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Amberly

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈæm.bəɹ.li/ (American English)/ˈæm.bə.li/ (British English)

Elaboration of Amber, influenced by the spelling of the name Kimberly.

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Pamela

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈpæm.ə.lə/ ()

This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.

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Dudley

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈdʌd.li/ ()

From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "Dudda's clearing" in Old English. The surname was borne by a British noble family.

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Joandra

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˌd͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn.dɹə/ ()

Combination of Joanne and Andrea 2.

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Jason

Usage

EnglishFrenchGreek Mythology (Anglicized)Biblical

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

Ἰάσων (Ancient Greek)

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ (English)/ʒa.zɔ̃/ (French)

From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father Aeson as king of Iolcus, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.

This name also appears in the New Testament, belonging to man who sheltered Paul and Silas. In his case, it may represent a Hellenized form of a Hebrew name. It was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation.

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Mark

Usage

EnglishRussianUkrainianBelarusianDutchDanishArmenianBiblical

Gender

Masculine

Scripts

Марк (Russian)Մարկ (Armenian)

Pronounced

/ˈmɑɹk/ (American English)/ˈmɑːk/ (British English)/ˈmark/ (Russian)/ˈmɑrk/ (Dutch)/ˈmɑɾk/ (Eastern Armenian)/ˈmɑɾɡ/ (Western Armenian)

Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.

In the medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult this was the name of a king of Cornwall. It was also borne by the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910), real name Samuel Clemens, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He took his pen name from a call used by riverboat workers on the Mississippi River to indicate a depth of two fathoms. This is also the usual English spelling of the name of the 1st-century BC Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony). Famous bearers from the modern era include American swimmer Mark Spitz (1950-) and businessman Mark Zuckerberg (1984-).

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Lorraine

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/lə.ˈɹeɪn/ ()

From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.

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Kinsley

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈkɪnz.li/ ()

From a surname that was derived from an English place name, itself meaning "clearing belonging to Cyne". The Old English given name Cyne is a short form of longer names beginning with cyne meaning "royal".

As an American name for girls, Kinsley was very rare before 1990. It has steadily grown in popularity since then, perhaps inspired by similar-sounding names such as Kinsey and Ainsley (both of which it has surpassed).

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Beaumont

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈboʊ.mɑnt/ (American English)/ˈbəʊ.mɒnt/ (British English)

From the French surname Beaumont meaning "beautiful mountain".

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Dax

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈdæks/ ()

From an English surname, which was derived either from the town of Dax in France or from the Old English given name Dæcca (of unknown meaning). The name was brought to public attention by the main character in the 1966 novel The Adventurers and its 1970 movie adaptation. It became popular in the 2010s due to its similarity to other names like Max and Jax.

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Maryanne

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/mɛɹ.i.ˈæn/ ()

Combination of Mary and Anne 1.

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Kemp

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɛmp/ ()

From a surname derived from Middle English kempe meaning "champion, athlete, warrior".

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Camden

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkæm.dən/ ()

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, perhaps meaning "enclosed valley" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).

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Gertrude

Usage

EnglishFrenchGerman

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈɡɜɹ.tɹud/ (American English)/ˈɡɜː.tɹuːd/ (British English)/ʒɛʁ.tʁyd/ (French)/ɡɛʁ.ˈtʁuː.də/ (German)

Means "spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play Hamlet (1600) for the mother of Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).

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Crew

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkɹu/ ()

Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning "weir"), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.

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Lavender

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈlæv.ən.dəɹ/ (American English)/ˈlæv.ən.də/ (British English)

From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.

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Deacon

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈdiː.kən/ ()

Either from the occupational surname Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").

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Christina

Usage

EnglishGermanSwedishNorwegianDanishDutchGreek

Gender

Feminine

Scripts

Χριστίνα (Greek)

Pronounced

/kɹɪs.ˈtiː.nə/ (English)/kʁɪs.ˈtiː.na/ (German)/krɪs.ˈtiː.na/ (Swedish)/krɪs.ˈti.naː/ (Dutch)

From Christiana, the Latin feminine form of Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.

In the English-speaking world the form Christine was more popular for most of the 20th century, though Christina eventually overtook it. Famous bearers include actress Christina Ricci (1980-) and singer Christina Aguilera (1980-).

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Cheyenne

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ʃaɪ.ˈæn/ ()

Derived from the Lakota word šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.

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Deforest

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/də.ˈfɔɹ.ɪst/ ()

From a French surname meaning "from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906) [1].

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Cullen

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈkʌl.ən/ ()

From a surname, either Cullen 1 or Cullen 2. It jumped a little in popularity as a given name after Stephenie Meyer's novel Twilight (2005), featuring a vampire named Edward Cullen, was adapted into a movie in 2008.

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Shawnee

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ʃɔ.ˈni/ ()

Means "southern people" in the Algonquin language. The Shawnee were an Algonquin tribe who originally lived in the Ohio valley.

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Harrison

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈhæɹ.ɪ.sən/ ()/ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.sən/ ()

From an English surname that meant "son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as Star Wars in 1977 and Indiana Jones in 1984.

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Philip

Usage

EnglishSwedishNorwegianDanishDutchBiblical

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈfɪl.ɪp/ (English)/ˈfi.lɪp/ (Dutch)

From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.

This name was initially more common among Eastern Christians, though it came to the West by the Middle Ages. It was borne by six kings of France and five kings of Spain. It was regularly used in England during the Middle Ages, although the Spanish king Philip II, who attempted an invasion of England, helped make it less common by the 17th century. It was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. Famous bearers include the Elizabethan courtier and poet Philip Sidney (1554-1586) and the American science fiction novelist Philip K. Dick (1928-1982).

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Jackson

Usage

EnglishPortuguese (Brazilian)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈd͡ʒæk.sən/ (English)

From the English surname Jackson meaning "son of Jack". Famous bearers of the surname were American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) and American musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009).

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Lyall

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Masculine

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").

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Merlin

Usage

Arthurian CycleEnglish

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

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

Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".

Geoffrey based parts of Merlin's character on Myrddin Wyllt, a legendary madman and prophet who lived in the Caledonian Forest. Other parts of his life were based on that of the historical 5th-century Romano-British military leader Ambrosius Aurelianus (also known as Emrys Wledig). In Geoffrey's version of the tales and later embellishments Merlin is a magician and counselor for King Arthur.

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Mason

Usage

English

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

/ˈmeɪ.sən/ ()

From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.

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Brittany

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈbɹɪt.ə.ni/ ()/ˈbɹɪt.ni/ ()

From the name of the region of Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.

As a given name, it first came into common use in America in the early 1970s, reaching the third ranked spot for girls by 1989. This was an extraordinary increase over only two decades, though it has since fallen almost as dramatically as it climbed.

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Harlow

Usage

English

Gender

FeminineMasculine

Pronounced

/ˈhɑɹ.loʊ/ (American English)/ˈhɑː.ləʊ/ (British English)

From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.

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Bridger

Usage

English (Modern)

Gender

Masculine

Pronounced

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

From an English surname that originally indicated a person who lived near or worked on a bridge.

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Vale

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ˈveɪl/ ()

From the English word meaning "wide river valley".

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Charmaine

Usage

English

Gender

Feminine

Pronounced

/ʃɑɹ.ˈmeɪn/ (American English)/ʃɑː.ˈmeɪn/ (British English)

Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Charmian or the English word charm with the aine suffix from Lorraine. It was (first?) used for a character in the play What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.

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Mariabella

Usage

English (Rare)

Gender

Feminine

Combination of Maria and Bella.

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