Best Name Meanings
The meaning and history of first names, also called given names, as well as popularity statistics and famous bearers.
Here is some name meanings.
- Arthur: This ancient name is reminiscent of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
- Calvin: This Old French name has a unique meaning: "little bald one"
- Stella: Meaning "star," this name's origin is Latin
- Grace: This Latin name means "with favor"
- Grady: This Gaelic name means "renowned"
- Ella: An Old German name, this means "other, foreign"
- Graham: An Old English name, this means "gray homestead, gravel area"
- Birdie: This classic name means "bright, famous, little bird"
- Cleve: Meaning "cliff, land of cliffs," this name is Old English
- Lydia: This Greek name means "from Lydia" (area in Asia where Midas and Croesus resided)
- Stuart: This is an occupational name meaning "steward"
- Mark: This is the English version of the Latin name Marcus, and means "war-like" or possibly "manly"
- Oscar: Meaning "spear of the gods," this name is of Old English origin
- Russell: This name comes from the Old French word roussel, which means "red haired"
- Oliver: This Latin name means "olive tree"
- Edward: An name with Old English origins, this means "wealthy guard"
- Harrison: This name means simply "son of Harry or Henry"
- Galen: This name comes from a Greek physician and has the meaning of "calm"
- Lenora: This name is another version of the name Helen
- Vivian: A name of Latin origin, this means "lively"
- Anne: This name with Hebrew roots means "favored grace"
- Victoria: Once widely given in honor of England's Queen Victoria, this name is an excellent classic choice for your daughter Meaning "victory," this is the female version of the name Victor
- Myron: This Greek name means "myrrh, fragrant oil"
- Catherine: This Greek name means "pure" Can also be spelled "Katherine"
- Elena: Another version of the name Helen, this also means "sun ray, shining light"
- Byron: Meaning "at the byres," this name comes from Old English
- Victor: This Latin name means "champion"
- Leo: This name has a Latin origin and means "lion"
- Thomas: Of Aramaic origin, this name means "twin" A timeless choice
- Blake: This name comes from Old English words meaning "black" and "shining"
- John: This enduring biblical name comes from Middle Latin and means "God is gracious"
- Darren: This name, of Irish and Gaelic origin, means "great" Can also be spelled Darin
- Lila: This name has Arabic origins and means "night"
- Porter: This English name means "gatekeeper"
- Hattie: This is a popular form of the name Harriet and means "home ruler"
- Paul: This popular Latin name means "small"
- Judson: This name is a variation of the name Jude
- Ezra: Meaning "helper," this is a Hebrew name
- Ike: This is a Hebrew name and means "laughter"
- Garret: This is another version of the name Gerald, which means "ruler with the spear" Can also be spelled Garrett
- Geoffrey: Meaning "peace," this Old German name can also be spelled Jeffrey
- Jasper: This name has a Persian origin and means "treasure holder"
- Isaac: Coming from a Greek name, which in turn comes from a Hebrew name, this means "he will laugh"
- Miriam: This is an older version of the name Mary
- Warner: Meaning "army guard," this name is of Old German origin
- Eleanor: A variation of the name Helen, this Greek name means "sun ray, shining light"
- Henry: This name, another form of Harry, is regaining popularity
- Emma: Hugely popular in the 's and beyond, this name is enjoying a rebirth and is now one of the most popular names in the United States Its meaning is "entire, universal"
- Caroline: This was the name of George II's queen consort in the 's
- Brice: This name has Celtic origins and means "force, strength" Can also be spelled Bryce
- Belle: A French name, this means "beautiful"
- Charles: A popular and enduring choice, this name means "free man" and has Old German roots
- Philip: This name comes from the Latin name Philippus and means "lover of horses" Can also be spelled Phillip
- Ira: This Hebrew name means "watchful, full grown"
- Quincy: This French name means "estate of the fifth son"
- Ruby: This English name refers to the beautiful red gemstone
- Elias: Of Greek and Hebrew origin, this name means "the Lord is my God"
- Sam: Even though this is a nickname for the name Samuel, it is often bestowed as an independent given name
- Amelia: This is an Old German name meaning "industrious, striving" Also the name of a princess in England
- Forrest: This name means "woodsman"
- Elliot: This comes from a French name that also has Hebrew roots and means "Jehovah is God" Also popularly spelled Elliott
- Joseph: Another biblical name, this means "may he add" and is Hebrew in origin
- Jacob: Meaning "he who supplants," this name has Hebrew roots
- Wilson: Meaning "son of William," this name comes from Old English
- Sadie: Very popular decades ago, this name is regaining favor with today's parents It is a Hebrew name and means "princess"
- Nora: This name has an English origin and means "woman of honor"
- Adam: A popular name that comes from a Hebrew word, adama, this means "red earth"
- Perry: A name with a Latin origin, this name means "traveler, wanderer"
- Archie: A nickname for the name Archibald (which might be a name that doesn't reclaim its popularlity), this has an English origin
- Harry: An Old German name, this means "home ruler"
- Clarissa: This elegant name is the Latin version of the name Clarice and is found in a number of medieval documents
- Lucas: This Latin name means "light"
- Burton: This name originated as a place name and means "town" or "fortress"
- Lola: This is the short form of the Spanish name Delores and means "sorrows"
- Nolan: This name comes from an Irish surname which means "descendant of Nuallan"
- Lucy: A name from Latin, this means "light"
- Peter: This name has both Greek and Latin roots and means "rock"
- Wade: This Scandinavian name means "river ford"
- Wesley: Meaning "western meadow," this name is of Old English origin
- Evelyn: This name has a Norman origin, but its modern use comes from an English surname
- Violet: Meaning "purple," this classic name has another version as well: Viola
- Sylvia: This Latin name means "woods, forest"
- Tristan: This Celtic name is the name of a tragic legendary hero in Arthurian legend
- Emory: An English name, this means "home strength"
- Morris: This is a form of the Latin name Maurice and means "Moorish"
- Pearl: Meaning "pearl," this name has Latin roots
- Vera: A name of Latin origin, this means "truth"
- Max: This is a name that was popular decades ago and is even more popular now
- Velma: This is another form of the name Wilma which means "determined protector"
- Gordon: This name was originally a Scottish surname
- Mae: Another version of the name May, this refers to the fifth month of the year
- Dale: This name comes from an Old English word (dael) which means "dale, hollow, valley"
- David: A Hebrew name, this means "beloved"
- Jack: A form of the name John, this Old English name means "the Lord is gracious"
- Basil: This Greek name means "royal, kingly"
- Nelson: This name is a variation of the name Neil, which is a Gaelic name meaning "champion"
- Hazel: An Old English name, this comes from the name of the hazel tree
- Foster: This name comes from a Middle English word that means "caretaker, nurse"
- Troy: This name comes from a place in Normandy called Troyes
- Cora: This name was possibly invented by author James Fenimore Cooper in 's "Last of the Mohicans" and is also the name of a goddess of the underworld
- Grant: This Scottish name means "tall, big"
- William: This name comes from the Old Norman name Willaume, which means "resolute protector"
- Michael: This name comes from a Hebrew phrase which means "who is like God"
- Samuel: This name has Latin, Greek and Hebrew roots and means "name of God"
- Foster: An occupational name, this means "woodsman"
- Hannah: This name was popular generations ago and is hugely popular now It is a Hebrew name that means "favored grace"
- Richard: This name has French and German roots and means "strong judgment"
- Faye: This name means "loyalty, belief"
- Eric: From the Old Norse name Eirikr, this name means "eternal ruler" This name was introduced to England by Vikings before the Norman Conquest, which started in
- Barrett: This name might possibly be derived from the French word barat, which means "traffic, commerce"
- Rex: Another Latin name, this one means "king"
- Simon: A Hebrew name, this means "to hear"
- Pierce: This name is another version of the name Peter meaning "rock"
- Morton: This Old English name means "Moor town"
- Truman: An Old English name, this means "loyal one"
- Silas: This name comes from Latin and means "forest, woods"
- Lance: An Old French name, this means "land"
- Rose: A floral name from Latin meaning simply "rose"
- Owen: This Welsh name, meaning "well-born, noble," is very popular right now, as it was in the early 's
- Lorene: This name is a good choice for a classic name that is not too popular right now -- it means "the laurel plant" and is another form of the name Laura
- Levi: A name popular in the early 's, this Hebrew name means "joined"
- Myra: This Greek name means "myrrh"
- Felix: This Latin name means "fortunate, lucky"
- Beau: This is a French name and comes from the word beau, which means "handsome" Pronounced "bo"
- Jane: Originally a feminine form of the name John, this means "the Lord is gracious"
- Cedric: This name was invented by Sir Walter Scott for a character in Ivanhoe (Cedric the Saxon)
- Clayton: Meaning "clay settlement," this name has an Old English origin
- Andrew: A Greek name, this means "warrior"
- Clinton: This comes from Middle English roots and means "cliff, slope"
- Geneva: Meaning "juniper tree," this name has Old French origins
- Clara: A Latin name, this means "famous, brilliant" Another form of this name is Claire
- Adele: This name has Old German roots and means "noble"
- Ross: Meaning "headland," this name is Scottish in origin
- Patrick: This name means "noble" and comes from Latin
- Harlan: Meaning "army land," this name has an Old English origin
- Aston: This was originally an English surname, and means "eastern town"
- Matthew: This Hebrew name means "gift of the Lord"
- Edmund: This comes from an Old English name (Eadmund) and means "wealthy protection"
- Molly: This is an Irish version of the name Mary: "star of the sea"
- Christian: Meaning "a follower of Christ," this name has Greek roots
- Lillian: A Latin name, this means "lily" Popular today in the shortened form Lily
- Della: This German name means "noble"
- Van: This name of Danish origin means "of"
- Alice: An Old German name, this means "noble, exalted"
- Thaddeus: This Latin and Greek name means "God's gift" and is frequently shortened to Thad or Tad
- Neva: A Latin name, this means "snow"
- Ruth: A Biblical name, this means "friend, companion"
- Miles: This Latin name means "soldier"
- Quentin: Meaning "the fifth," this name comes from Latin
- Roxie: A Persian name, this means "dawn"
