Names Categorized "writers" - Behind the Name

Aaron m English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as "high mountain" or "exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would become the priesthood.... [more]

Adalbert m Germanic, German
Old German form of Albert. This is the name of a patron saint of Bohemia, Poland and Prussia. He is known by his birth name Vojtěch in Czech and Wojciech in Polish.

Aesop m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek Αἴσωπος (Aisopos), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a Greek fabulist of the 6th century BC, famous for such tales as The Tortoise and the Hare. Though his existence is uncertain, he was later said to have been a slave on the island of Samos.

Africanus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the place name Africa, which in Roman times referred only to North Africa. This was the agnomen of the 3rd-century BC Roman general Scipio Africanus, who was honoured with it after his victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War. His descendants used it as a cognomen.

Al m English
Short form of Albert and other names beginning with Al. A notable bearer is American actor Al Pacino (1940-).

Alejandro m Spanish
Spanish form of Alexander. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain from the 1990s until 2006 (and again in 2011).

Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". 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.... [more]

Alta f Various
Possibly from Latin altus or Italian/Spanish alto meaning "high".

Amerigo m Italian
Medieval Italian form of Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from Americus, the Latin form of his name).

Amity f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

Antony m English
Variant of Anthony. This was formerly the usual English spelling of the name, but during the 17th century the h began to be added.

Ardath f English
From the name of a plain that appears in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (verse 9:26) in some versions of the Old Testament. This place name was used by Marie Corelli for the title of an 1889 novel, which is probably the reason it gained some currency as a given name just after this time.

Ariana f Portuguese, English (Modern)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).

Aspasia f Ancient Greek, Greek
Derived from Greek ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).

Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.

Ayn f Various (Rare)
This name was assumed by Ayn Rand (1905-1982), originally named Alice Rosenbaum, a Russian-American writer and philosopher. She apparently based it on a Finnish name she had heard, but never seen written.

Barbie f English
Diminutive of Barbara. This is the name of a doll produced by the Mattel toy company since 1959. It was named after the original designer's daughter.

Bayard m Carolingian Cycle
Derived from Old French baiart meaning "bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.

Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).... [more]

Brittany f English
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.... [more]

Camillus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.

Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German
Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).

Celestine f & m English
English form of Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.

Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).

Charity f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Cielo f Spanish
Means "sky, heaven" in Spanish. In Mexico this name was popularized by a character named María del Cielo, called Cielo, on the telenovela Por tu amor (1999).

Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.... [more]

Clarence m English
From the Latin title Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.

Clarity f English (Rare)
Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clarus "clear".

Clémentine f French
French feminine form of Clement. This is also the name of a variety of orange (fruit).

Clotilde f French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
French form of Chrodechildis, the Latin form of a Frankish name composed of the elements hruod "fame, glory" and hilt "battle". Saint Clotilde (whose name was originally recorded in forms such as Chrodechildis or Chrotchildis in Latin sources) was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity. It was also borne by others in the Merovingian royal family. In the Middle Ages this name was confused with Chlodechilda, in which the first element is hlut "famous, loud".

Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.

Dawn f English
From the English word dawn, ultimately derived from Old English dagung.

Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek Mythology
Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.

Dilys f Welsh
Means "genuine" in Welsh. It has been used since the late 19th century.

Donato m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the Late Latin name Donatus meaning "given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.

Dorinda f English, Galician
Combination of Dora and the name suffix inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play The Enchanted Island (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.

Dorothy f English
Usual English form of Dorothea. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character, Dorothy Gale, in his fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.

Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.

Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.

Eirwen f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.

Elma f Dutch, English, German (Rare)
Short form of Wilhelmine or names ending in elma, such as Anselma. It has also been recorded as a combination of Elizabeth and Mary, as in the case of the 19th-century daughter of the Earl of Elgin, who was named using her mother's first and middle names.

Erich m German
German form of Eric. The German novelist Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970) was the author of All Quiet on the Western Front.

Erma f English
Variant of Irma. It began to be used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, along with Irma.

Ethelred m English (Archaic)
Middle English form of Æðelræd. The name was very rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived briefly in the 19th century.

Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.

Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]

Fern f 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.

Filiz f Turkish
Means "sprout, shoot" in Turkish (borrowed from Greek φυλλίς (phyllis)).

Fred m English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A famous bearer was the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987). It was also borne by the cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone on the television series The Flintstones (1960-1966).

Frederic m Catalan, Occitan
Catalan and Occitan form of Frederik. A notable bearer was the French/Occitan writer Frederic Mistral (1830-1914), whose name was written Frédéric in French.

Fumiko f Japanese
From Japanese 文 (fumi) meaning "writing" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Gemma f Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.

George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)
From the Greek name Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.... [more]

Gilda f Italian, Portuguese
Originally an Italian short form of Ermenegilda and other names containing the Old German element gelt meaning "payment, tribute, compensation". This is the name of a character in Verdi's opera Rigoletto (1851). It is also the name of a 1946 American movie, starring Rita Hayworth in the title role.

Glenda f English
Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.

Gore m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "triangular" (from Old English gara), originally referring to someone who lived on a triangular piece of land. A famous bearer was American writer Gore Vidal (1925-2012).

Gretel f German, Literature
Diminutive of Grete. It is well-known as a character from an 1812 Brothers Grimm fairy tale who is captured, with her brother Hansel, by a witch. The Grimm's story was based on earlier European folktales.

Guadalupe f & m Spanish
From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic وادي (wādī) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.

Haidee f Literature
Perhaps intended to derive from Greek αἰδοῖος (aidoios) meaning "modest, reverent". This name was created by Lord Byron for a character (written as Haidée) in his 1819 poem Don Juan.

Haydée f Spanish, French (Rare)
Spanish and French form of Haidee, from Lord Byron's Don Juan (1819). It was later used by Alexander Dumas for a character in The Count of Monte Cristo (1844).

Heddwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh hedd "peace" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name has been given in honour of the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (1887-1917), who used Hedd Wyn as his bardic name.

Hermenegildo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of a Visigothic name, from the Gothic elements airmans "great, immense" and gild "payment, tribute, compensation". It was borne by a 6th-century saint, the son of Liuvigild the Visigothic king of Hispania.

Hermia f Literature
Feminine form of Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).

Hildegard f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.

Honorine f French
French form of Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name Honorinus, a derivative of Honorius. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.

Horace m English, French
English and French form of Horatius, and the name by which the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is commonly known those languages. In the modern era it has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, in honour of the poet.

Hortensia f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of the Roman family name Hortensius, possibly derived from Latin hortus meaning "garden".

Hosanna f Biblical
From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.

Immanuel m Hebrew, German (Rare), Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Form of Emmanuel used in most translations of the Old Testament. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was a German philosopher of the Enlightenment who is sometimes called the father of modern philosophy.

Ingrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).

Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

Jahanara f Persian (Archaic), Bengali
From Persian جهان (jahān) meaning "world" and آرا (ārā) meaning "decorate, adorn". This was the name of the eldest daughter of the 17th-century Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).

Jimmy m English
Diminutive of James. This was the usual name of American actor James Stewart (1908-1997). It is also used by the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).

Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.

Joel m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning "Yahweh is God", from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.

John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Biblical
English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan). It means "Yahweh is gracious", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled Johanan or Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.... [more]

Joseph m English, French, German, Biblical
From Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root יָסַף (yasaf) meaning "to add, to increase". 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.... [more]

Kalidasa m Sanskrit
Means "servant of Kali" from the name of the Hindu goddess Kali 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". Kalidasa (or Kālidāsa) was a 4th-century Indian poet and dramatist, the author of the Abhijnanashakuntalam and other works.

Kamaria f Comorian
From Arabic qamar meaning "moon", also the root of the name of the island country of the Comoros.

Katherine f English
From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.... [more]

Kelvin m English
From the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning "narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.

Kendrick m English
From a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names Cyneric "royal power" or Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Eanraig meaning "son of Henry".... [more]

Khaing f & m Burmese
Means "firm, strong" in Burmese, possibly of Shan origin.

Lorraine f English
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.

Lucasta f Literature
This name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called Lucasta (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, whom he called lux casta "pure light".

Maeve f Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Maisie f Scottish, English
Scottish diminutive of Mairead. It was long used in the United Kingdom and Australia, becoming popular at the end of the 20th century. In the United States it was brought to public attention by the British actress Maisie Williams (1997-), who played Arya Stark on the television series Game of Thrones beginning 2011. Her birth name is Margaret.

Marcia f English, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marcius. It was borne by a few very minor saints. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.

Margaret f English
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. 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.... [more]

Margaux f French
Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.

Marilyn f English
Combination of Mary and the common name suffix lyn. It was very rare before the start of the 20th century. 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-).

Marjorie f English
Medieval variant of Margery, influenced by the name of the herb marjoram. After the Middle Ages this name was rare, but it was revived at the end of the 19th century.

Mark m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
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.... [more]

Maya 1 f Hinduism, Buddhism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Maya 2 f English
Variant of Maia 1. This name can also be given in reference to the Maya, an indigenous people of southern Mexico and parts of Central America whose civilization flourished between the 3rd and 8th centuries. A famous bearer was the American poet and author Maya Angelou (1928-2014).

Melba f English
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.

Melita f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Melite. However, in the case of Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Victoria Melita (1876-1936), it was derived from Melita, the Latin name of the island country of Malta where she was born.

Mercia f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.

Merle m & f English, Estonian
From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).... [more]

Merope f Greek Mythology
From Greek μέρος (meros) meaning "share, part" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including the seventh of the Pleiades and the foster mother of Oedipus.

Minakshi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
From Sanskrit मीन (mīna) meaning "fish" and अक्षि (akṣi) meaning "eye". This is the name of a Hindu goddess associated with the Tamil city of Madurai. She is considered an incarnation of Parvati.

Moema f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Means "lies" in Tupí. This name appears in the poem Caramuru (1781) by the Brazilian poet Santa Rita Durão.