Category Archives: Catalan Names

Ambrose

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “immortal.”
Eng (AM-broze); Fre (ahm-BWAHZ)

Ambrose is an English version of the Late Latin, Ambrosius, which is a form of the Greek male name Αμβροσιος (Ambrosios), meaning, “immortal.”

The name was borne by a 4th-century Christian saint, a contemporary of St. Augustine of Hippo. He is considered a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of Milan.

As of 2010, its French form of Ambroise was the 391st most popular male name in France.

The designated name-day is December 7.

There is a feminine version as well, Ambrosia, and in Greek mythology, it is borne by the daughter of Atlas and Pleione. It was also the name of the food of the gods eaten on Mount Olympos.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Ambrozi (Albanian)
  • Ambrosiu (Asturian)
  • Anbortsi (Basque)
  • Ambroaz (Breton)
  • Amvrosij Амвросий (Bulgarian/Russian/Ukrainian)
  • Ambròs (Catalan)
  • Ambrosgiu (Corsican)
  • Ambrozije (Croatian)
  • Ambrož (Czech/Slovene)
  • Ambroos (Dutch)
  • Broos (Dutch/Limburgish)
  • Ambroise (French)
  • Ambros (German/Romansch)
  • Ambrosios Αμβροσιος (Greek)
  • אמברוזיוס Ambrwzyws (Hebrew)
  • Ambrus (Hungarian)
  • Ambrósíus (Icelandic)
  • Ambróis (Irish)
  • Bosone (Italian: obscure)
  • Ambrogio/Ambrogino (Italian: more common forms)
  • Ambrosino (Italian: obscure)
  • Ambrosi (Kiswahili)
  • Ambrosius (Late Latin/Danish/Dutch/Finnish/German/Estonian/Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Ambrozijs (Latvian)
  • Ambraziejus (Lithuanian)
  • Ambroeus (Lombard)
  • Ambroży (Polish)
  • Ambrósio (Portuguese)
  • Ambrozie (Romanian)
  • Ambrosi(Romansch)
  • Ambròsu (Sardinian)
  • Ambroggiu (Sicilian)
  • Ambróz (Slovakian)
  • Ambrosio (Spanish/Galician/Italian/Venetian)
  • Emrys (Welsh)

Feminine forms include:

  • Ambroisine/Ambrosine (French)
  • Ambrogia/Ambrogina (Italian)
  • Ambrosina (Italian)
  • Ambrosia (Greek/Italian)
  • Ambrozja (Polish)
  • Ambrozija (Slovene)

Celestine

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Gender: Masculine (English); Feminine (French)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: ” of the sky; of the heavens.”
Eng (sel-es-TINE; SEL-es-tin); Fre Masc (say-les-TEN); Fre Fem (say-les-TEEN)

The name is derived from the Late Latin male name, Caelestinus, meaning, “of the sky; of the heavens.”

In English, the name was anglicized to Celestine while in French, Célestine was always strictly the feminine form, the French masculine form being, Célestin.

The name was borne by five popes.

In the English-speaking world, Celestine was seldom used, if it was ever used it was usually used for females being a borrowing from the French, though Celestine is a common male name among Nigerian Catholics.

As of 2010, Célestin was the 415th most popular male name in France, while its feminine form of Célestine was the 419th most popular female name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Celestin Целестин Целестин (Asturian/Bulgarian/Romanian/Romansch/Russian/Scandinavian/Serbian/Ukrainian)
  • Celestí (Catalan)
  • Celestýn (Czech)
  • Celestijn (Dutch)
  • Celestinus (Dutch)
  • Celestine (English)
  • Célestin (French)
  • Celestino (Galician/Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Coelestin (German)
  • Cölestin (German)
  • Zölestin (German)
  • Kelestínos Κελεστίνος (Greek)
  • Celesztin (Hungarian)
  • Caelestinus (Late Latin)
  • Celestinas (Lithuanian)
  • Celestyn (Polish)
  • Celestìnu (Sardinian)
  • Celestín (Slovene)
A famous female bearer was Célestine Galli-Marié (1840–1905), a French mezzo-soprano who created the title role in the opera Carmen
La Celestina, a 15th-century literary piece written by Fernando de Rojas, is considered one of Spain’s greatest pieces of literature.
Celestina is also the name of an 18th-century literary piece written by poet, Charlotte Turner Smith.
Other feminine forms include:
  • Celestina Целестина (Czech/English/Italian/Lithuanian/Portuguese/Romanian/Romansch/Russian/Slovak/Spanish)
  • Célestine (French)
  • Cölestina (German)
  • Zölestina (German)
  • Celesztina (Hungarian)
  • Celestyna (Polish)
  • Kolestina Колестина (Russian)

Celestine is also the name of an order of Benedictine monks and it is also the name of a type of mineral.

Achilles

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Gender: Male
Origin: Greek
Meaning “pain.”
Eng (uh-KEELZ); (ah-KEEL-leez); Fre (ah-SHEEL); It (ah-KIL-le)

The name of the great Pythian hero of the Trojan war, Achilles was invincible save for the one spot on his heel that was vulnerable to killing him. Achilles was timelessly struck down after a poisoned arrow pierced his heel. Some legends state that his mother, Thetis, had dipped him in the river Styx to render her child immortal. However, since she was holding him by one heel, the waters were unable to pass through her hands onto the area to which she held him.

Achilles’ Heels is a term used to describe a person’s weakness. In anatomy, Achilles Tendon is used to describe a tendon of the posterior leg.

As of 2009, Achille was the 204th most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Akili (Albanian)
  • Akiles (Basque)
  • Ahilej (Bosnian, Serbo-Croatian)
  • Akilles (Breton)
  • Aquil·les (Catalan)
  • Achilles (Czech/English/Polish)
  • Akhilleus (Finnish/Scandinavian: very obscure)
  • Achille (French/Italian)
  • Achilleus Αχιλλευς (Greek)
  • Akhilleusz (Hungarian: obscure)
  • Ahillejs (Latvian)
  • Achilas (Lithuanian)
  • Akille (Maltese)
  • Akilles (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Ahile (Romanian)
  • Achilli (Sicilian)
  • Ahil (Slovene)
  • Aquiles (Spanish/Galician/Portuguese)

Anatole

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek Ανατολιος
Meaning: “sunrise.”

The name is derived from the Greek, Anatolios Ανατολιος, which is derived from the word anatole ανατολη (sunrise). The name was borne by a 3rd-century Christian saint, philosopher and martyr.

The name was borne by several other saints.

An anatole is also a musical term employed in jazz.

The name was one of the most popular male names throughout the Soviet Union, before the October Revolution, the name was only used among monks and priests. The name no longer appears in Russia’s top 10.

Its French form of Anatole is 234th most popular male name in France, (2009).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Anatol Анатоль (Belarusian/Czech/German/Hungarian/Polish/Romanian)
  • Anatolij Анатолиј Анато́лий (Bulgarian/Croatian/Macedonian/Russian/Ukrainian)
  • Anatoli ანატოლი (Catalan/Georgian/Russian)
  • Anatole (French)
  • Anatolios (Greek)
  • Anatolio (Italian/Spanish)
  • Anatolijs (Latvian)
  • Anatolijus (Lithuanian)
  • Anatoliusz (Polish)
  • Anatólio (Portuguese)
  • Anatolie (Romanian)
  • Anatoliy (Russian: variant transcription)
  • Anatolije Анатолије (Serbian)
  • Anadolu (Turkish)
Common Russian diminutives are: Anatolka, Natoli, Natoha, Natosha, Tolia, Tolyunya; Tolyusya; Tolyan; Tolyaha; Tolyasha; Tosha; Tosya; Totya; Tusya 
A feminine form is Anatolia, which was also borne by an early Christian martyr. It shares its name with a region in Turkey.
Other feminine forms include:
  • Anatolija Анатолия (Bulgarian/Russian/Serbian)
  • Anatolia (Italian/Latin/Polish/Spanish)
  • Anatola (Polish)

Angelica

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “angelic.”
Eng (AN-jel-ik-ah), It/Pol (ahn-JAY-lee-kah); Germ (ahn-GAY-lee-kah); Sp (ahn-HAY-lee-lah) Swe/Nor (ahn-YAY-lee-kah); Fre (Pronunciation)

The name is derived from the Latin angelicus meaning “angelic” and is ultimately derived from the Greek, άγγελος (ángelos) meaning, “messenger.” The name was used by the 16th-century, Italian poets, Boiardo and Aristo for their Orlando poems, in which it is the name of Orlando’s love interest.

In England, Angelica has been used as a given name since the 18th-century.

Angelica is also the name of a type of herb.

As of 2010, Angelica stood as the 345th most popular female name in the United States, while the French form of Angélique came in as the 439th most popular female name in France, (2009) and the 627th most popular in the United States, (2010).

As of 2009, its Spanish form of Angélica was the 88th most popular female name in Mexico.

The name is borne by several saints, and was also borne by 18th-century Swiss painter, Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807). Other notable Angelicas include:

Italian opera singer, Angelica Catalani (1780-1849), Stand-in American First Lady, Angelica Van Buren (1818-1877), American nun and TV host, Mother Angelica (b.1923); Angelica Pickles, a popular cartoon character featured on the Rugrats; American actress, Anjelica Huston; Norwegian princess, Maud Angelica Behn (b.2003) .

The Latinate, Angelica form, is used in English speaking countries, Italy, Romania, Norway, Sweden and occasionally Poland. Other forms of the name include:

  • Angèlica (Catalan)
  • Angelika (Czech/Danish/German/Hungarian/Icelandic/Norwegian/Slovak/Swedish)
  • Angélique (French)
  • Anxélica (Galician)
  • Angeliki/Aggeliki Αγγελική (Greek: Modern)
  • Angyalka (Hungarian)
  • Angelíka (Icelandic)
  • Anjelica (Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Angelica/Angelika/Andżelika (Polish)
  • Anželika (Russian)
  • Angelìca (Sardinian)
  • Angelika Ангелика (Serbian)
  • Angélica (Spanish/Portuguese)

There is an Italian masculine form, which is Angelico, and the Late Latin masculine form, Angelicus.

Ange

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: French
Meaning: “angel.”
(AWnzh)

The name comes directly from the French word for angel, and has been used as a given name since at least the 8th-century C.E.

It is techinically an epicène name, that is, one among the several names found within the French lexicon which has always been gender neutral. However, Ange by itself is more often given to males, while for females, it is usually paired with a feminine name, such as Marie-Ange. 

The name was borne by a few medieval saints. One of the most notable being St. Angelus of Jerusalem (1185-1220), a Christian convert of Jewish ancestry who left his native Palestine to join a friary in Sicily. He was eventually martyred by Berenger, a local knight, who killed him in anger after the saint rebuked him for living in an incestuous relationship.

Ange was a very common name among the early Acadians (Cajuns), of Louisiana and French-Canadians.

As of 2009, Ange was the 264th most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Àngel (Catalan)
  • Angelus (English/German/Late Latin)
  • Angel (French/Romansch)
  • Angeli(n) (French)
  • Angely (French)
  • Angelo (Italian)
  • Anġlu (Maltese)
  • Àncilu (Sicilian)
  • Ángel (Spanish)
For a more comprehensive list, see Angela.

Cyprian

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “from Cyprus.”
Eng (SIP-ree-ən)

The name is derived from the Roman family name, Cyprianus, which means, “from Cyprus.”

The name was borne by a 3rd-century Christian theologian, writer, martyr and saint.

As of 2009, its French form of Cyprien was the 272nd most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Çipriani (Albanian)
  • Cyprian (Albanian/English/German/Polish/Romansch)
  • Sybryan سيبريان (Arabic)
  • Kiprianos Կիպրիանոս (Armenian)
  • Zipriano (Basque)
  • Kiprijan Киприян (Bulgarian)
  • Cebrià (Catalan)
  • Ciprijan (Croatian/Macedonian/Serbian/Slovene)
  • Cyprián (Czech)
  • Cyprianus (Dutch/Latin)
  • Cyprien (French)
  • Ciprian (Fruilian/Romanian)
  • Cibrán (Galician)
  • Kvipriane კვიპრიანე (Georgian)
  • Kyprianόs Κυπριανός (Greek)
  • Cipriano (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Kiprijonas (Lithuanian)
  • Kiprián Киприа́н (Russian)
  • Cebrián (Spanish)
  • Kypryan Кипріян (Ukrainian)
Feminine forms include:
  • Cyprienne (French)
  • Cipriana (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Cypriana (Latin/Polish)
The name was borne by several other saints, another notable bearer is Polish romantic poet, Cyprian Kamil Norwid (1821-1883).

Hippolytus, Hippolyte

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek ‘Ιππολυτος
Meaning: “freer of horses.”
Eng (hip-PAHL-ih-tus); Eng Fem (HIP-poh-LY-tee; hi-PAHL-i-tah) Fre (EEP-poh-LEET)

The name is derived from the Greek, Hippolytos (‘Ιππολυτος), which is composed of the elements, hippos (‘ιππος), meaning, “horse” and lyo (λυω) meaning, “to loosen.”

The name was borne in Greek mythology by a son of Theseus, and depending on some sources either the Amazon, Hippolyte (hence the name) or Antiope. He rejected the advances of his step-mother, Phaedra, who, when spurned, complained to Theseus that his son had raped her. In anger, Theseus cursed his own son, using of the his three wishes granted by Poseidon, Hippolytus was dragged to death by his horses after being frightened by a sea-monster. The story was retold both by Euripides in his play Hippolytus and by Seneca the Younger in his play, Phaedra.

His possible birth mother of Hippolyte was an Amazonian queen who possessed a magical girdle which denoted her rank. She appears in the legend of Hercules who seeks her girdle for the princess, Admeta. Hippolyte is so impressed with the immortal’s prowess that she gives Hercules her girdle as a gift. William Shakespeare may have based his character of Hippolyta who appears in A Midsummer’s Night Dream off of Hippolyte the Amazon queen.

The male form of Hippolytus appears several more times throughout Greek mythology as the name of minor characters.

It was also borne by some early renowned Christian saints, including Hippolytus of Rome a 3rd-century Christian theologian, writer and martyr.

In English and early Greek, Hippolyte often appears as a feminine form, but in French, it is an epicène name, that is a unisex name, however, it is more often used on males than on females. As of 2009, Hippolyte was the 286th most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Ipolit Иполит (Bulgarian/Serbian)
  • Hipòlit (Catalan)
  • Hipolit (Croatian/Polish/Romanian/Slovak)
  • Hippolyt (Czech/German)
  • Hippolytus (Dutch/English/Latin)
  • Hippolyte (French)
  • Ipolite იპოლიტე (Georgian)
  • Hippolütosz (Hungarian)
  • Ippolito (Italian)
  • Hipolitas (Lithuanian)
  • Hipólito (Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Ippolit Ипполит (Romansch/Russian/Ukrainian)
  • ‘Ipołito (Venetian)
Feminine forms include:
  • Hipolita Хиполита (Albanian/Bulgarian/Serbian)
  • Ipalita Іпаліта (Belarusian)
  • Hipòlita (Catalan)
  • Hippolyta ‘Ιππολυτη (English/Greek/Latin/Romanian)
  • Hippolyte ‘Ιππολυτη (English/French/Greek)
  • Hippolüté (Hungarian)
  • Ippolita Ипполи́та (Italian/Russian/Ukrainian)
  • Hipolitė (Lithuanian)
  • Hippolita (Polish)
  • Hipólita (Portuguese/Spanish)

Virgil

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: unknown
Eng (VUR-jəl); Fre (vare-ZHEEL)

The name was borne by famous Latin poet, Publius Vergilius Maro (70–19 BCE), the author of the Aenead, credited for being one of Rome’s most epic poems.

Dante used Virgil as the guide in his Inferno and part of Purgatorio.

The origins of the name are unclear, Virgil itself is derived from the Latin, Virgilius/Vergilius, a Roman family name of uncertain meaning.

At one time, Virgil was one of the most popular male names in the United States. The highest he ranked was in 1907 coming in as the 93rd most popular male name. As of 2010, Virgil no longer appears in the U.S. top 1000

As of 2009, its French counterpart of Virgile was the 333rd most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Virgiliu (Albanian/Romanian/Sicilian)
  • Virchilio (Aragonese)
  • Virxiliu (Asturian)
  • Virgili (Catalan/Lombard/Occitanian)
  • Virgilije Вергилиј (Croatian/Macedonian/Serbian/Slovene)
  • Virgilius (Dutch/Latin)
  • Vergil (English/German/Plattdeutsch/Ripoarisch/Scandinavian)
  • Virgil (English/Romanian)
  • Vergíliu (Extramaduran)
  • Virgile (French)
  • Virgjili (Frulian)
  • Feirgil/Veirgil (Gaelic)
  • Virxilio (Galician)
  • Virgill (Icelandic)
  • Virgilio (Italian/Spanish)
  • Vergilius (Latin)
  • Vergīlijs (Latvian)
  • Virgilijus (Lithuanian)
  • Virġilju (Maltese)
  • Bergílio (Mirandese)
  • Wergiliusz (Polish)
  • Virgílio (Portuguese)
  • Vergėlėjos (Samogaitian)
  • Vergílius (Slovak)
  • Fyrsil (Welsh)
The name was also borne by an 8th-century Irish saint and missionary, Virgil of Salzburg.

Eulalia, Eulalie

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek Ευλαλια
Meaning: “to talk well.”
Eng (yoo-LAY-lee-uh; yoo-LAY-lee); Fre (eu-lah-LEE); Cat (oo-LOW-lee-ah); Sp (oo-LAH-lee-ah)

The name is composed of the Greek elements, eu ευ (good) and laleo λαλεω (talk).

The name was borne by two different early Spanish saints, both of whom are believed to be one and the same person. St. Eulalia of Mérida was a 3rd-century teenage Roman girl who refused to give up her faith, she was subsequently tortured and crucified, legend has it that when she was cut down from her cross, a layer of snow fell to cover her nakedness. The story was the subject of the famous painting by John William Waterhouse, (above).

In the English-speaking world, especially in the United States, Eulalia and her other forms appeared in the U.S. top 1000 from the 19th-century till the 1930s. She never ranked high, the highest only being # 365 in 1893. Her French form of Eulalie also experienced some usage but fell out of the top 1000 by 1900. The highest Eulalie ever ranked in the United States was at # 687 in 1893. Eulalie’s introduction into the United States may have had something to do with Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem, Eulalie.

Eulalie is one of Poe’s less Gothic works, it recounts how a widower once again finds happiness in a girl named Eulalie.

Two famous American bearers were Silent film actress, Eulalie Jensen (1884-1952), and  Eulalie Spence (1894-1981) an African-American play-write of West Indian extraction.

Further up in North America, the name was borne by French-Canadian Blessed and religious foundress, Eulalie Durocher, aka, Soeur Marie Rose Durocher, who is credited for finding the Order of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary (1811-1849).

In French naming history, Eulalie appears in a famous folktale, Jean, the Soldier, and Eulalie, the Devil’s Daughter.

Notable French bearers are numerous, but one of the most famous has to be an early female journalist by the name of Eulalie de Senancour (1791-1896).

In the United States, Eula was probably the most common form. She consistently remained within  the U.S. top 1000 between 1880 and 1960. The highest she ever ranked was at # 122 in 1908.

As of 2009, its French form of Eulalie was the 472nd most popular female name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Olaria (Aragonese)
  • Olarieta (Aragonese)
  • Olalia (Asturian)
  • Olaya (Asturian)
  • Santolaya (Asturian: literally means, Saint Eulalia, used in reference to St. Eulalia very much in the same way Santiago and Santana)
  • Eulàlia (Catalan)
  • Eulalia (Dutch/English/German/Italian/Latin/Polish/Spanish)
  • Eula (English)
  • Eulalie (English/French)
  • Lalia (English)
  • Aulaire (French: archaic)
  • Evlalia (Greek)
  • Eulália (Hungarian/Portuguese/Slovak)
  • Aulazia (Occitanian/Provençal)
  • Olalla (Spanish)
Eulalia is also the name of a type of grass.
A common French and English short form is Lalie.