Category Archives: English Names

Dulce

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Meaning: “sweet; candy.”
DOOL-the (Spanish), DOOL-se (Latin American Spanish)

The name comes directly from the Spanish and Portuguese word for “sweet; candy” and has been used in the Iberian peninsula since the early Middle Ages. It was borne by Douce I of Provence (1090-1129), Douce II of Provenece (b.1166) Dulce of Barcelona (1160-1198) and Dulce I of Léon (b.1195).

Currently it is the 409th most popular female name in the United States, (2010).

It was commonly bestowed among Jews and Christians. Other forms of the name include:

  • Dulcía (Aragonese)
  • Dulze (Basque)
  • Esti (Basque)
  • Estinñe (Basque)
  • Dolça (Catalan/Ladino/Occitanian/Provençal)
  • Dowse (English: archaic)
  • Duce (English: archaic)
  • Dulcie (English)
  • Dulcinea (English/Spanish)
  • Douce (French: archaic)
  • Aldonza/Aldonça (Galician)
  • Dolce (Italian: archaic. DOLE-chay)
  • Zusa (Yiddish. A direct translation of Dolça, this was used among Spanish-Jews who had been expelled from Spain and had settled in Germany and Poland introducing it to Yiddish-speakers, thus creating a Yiddish cognate. A masculine cognate is Zusman)
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Orion

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek Ωριων
Meaning: “boundary; limit.”
Eng (o-RIE-ən)

The name is believed to be derived from the Greek, ‘οριον (horion) meaning, “boundary; limit.” In Greek mythology, it was borne by a great huntsman and a favorite companion of Artemis. Zeus turned him into a constellation.

Currently, Orion was the 466th most popular male name in the United States, (2010). Other forms of the name include:

  • Orioni ორიონი (Albanian/Georgian)
  • Orió (Catalan)
  • Orion Ωρίων (English/Greek/Polish)
  • Órión (Hungarian)
  • Orione (Italian)
  • Orions (Latvian)
  • Orionas (Lithuanian)
  • Órion (Portuguese)
  • Orionte (Portuguese)
  • Orión (Spanish)
The name was borne by an early Christian Greek martyr and in recent history it was borne by Orion Clemens (1825-1897), the first and only Secretary of Nevada Territory and the brother of Mark Twain.
The designated name-day is May 16 (Poland).
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Gideon

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew גִּדְעוֹן

The name name could either be Hebrew for “destroyer” or “tree feller.” It is borne in the Old Testament by one of the Hebrew Judges, (Judges 6–8). He is also mentioned in Epistle to the Hebrews: Chapter 11 as an example of a man of faith.

In the Book of Mormon, it is borne by a powerful Nephite leader.

Regarded as a saint in the Catholic Church, it was occasionally used as a given name in Medieval England, but exploded in popularity after the Protestant Reformation, especially in Germany and the Netherlands.

Currently, Gideon is the 461st most popular male name in the United States and the 496th most popular in the Netherlands, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Gideon Гидеон (Afrikaans/Dutch/English/Estonian/German/Scandinavian/Serbian)
  • Gedeó (Catalan)
  • Gédéon (French)
  • Gid’on גִּדְעוֹן (Hebrew)
  • Gedeon Гедео́н (Hungarian/Polish/Russian)
  • Gedeone (Italian)
  • Gideonas (Lithuanian)
  • Gideão (Portuguese)
  • Gedeón (Spanish)
The name was borne by the first discoverer of the dinosaur, Gideon Mantell (1790-1852).
Common English diminutives are Gid and Giddy.
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Solomon

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew שְׁלֹמֹה
Meaning: “peace.”

The name is borne in the Old Testament by son of David and the King of Israel. He is credited as being the author of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. In the Talmud he is considered one of the 48 prophets. In Jewish and Christian tradition he is viewed as a wise and holy king but had fallen from grace due to his ego and his marriage to hundreds of foreign wives who led him astray from God. In the Qu’ran, Solomon is a prophet and a messenger from Allah, he is the only one who was ever able to control the djinn with his magical incantations.

The name has always been a popular one among Jews, Muslims and Eastern Orthodox Christians, but has never really been common in the English-speaking world, even after the Protestant Reformation. Currently, Solomon is the 467th most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms include:

  • Salomo (Afrikaans/Dutch/Finnish/German/Scandinavian)
  • Salomon (Albanian/Croatian/Finnish/French/Polish/Scandinavian/Ukrainian)
  • Sulayman  سليمان (Arabic)
  • Salamon Саламон (Belarusian)
  • Sulejman (Bosnian)
  • Suljo (Bosnian)
  • Solomon Саламон (Bulgarian/English/Macedonian/Romanian/Russian/Serbian)
  • Salomó (Catalan)
  • Šalomoun (Croatian)
  • Saalomon (Estonian)
  • Sálomon (Faroese)
  • Solamh (Gaelic)
  • Solomoni სოლომონი (Georgian)
  • Shlomo שְׁלֹמֹה (Hebrew)
  • Salamon (Hungarian/Occitanian)
  • Silêman (Kurdish)
  • Salomone (Italian)
  • Shelomo (Ladino)
  • Salamans (Latvian)
  • Zālamans (Latvian)
  • Saliamonas (Lithuanian)
  • Sjelomo (Norwegian: archaic)
  • Szlomo (Polish-Yiddish)
  • Salomão (Portuguese)
  • Šalamún (Slovak)
  • Suleymaan (Somalian)
  • Salomón (Spanish)
  • Sөlәjman Сөләйман (Tatar)
  • Süleyman (Turkish)
  • Selyf (Welsh)
  • Zalman (Yiddish)

Common English diminutives are Sol and Solly.

A Russian feminine form which was common among Russian royalty is Solomonia.

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/solomon

Adelaide

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Old German
Meaning: “noble kind; noble sort.”
Eng (AD-ə-layd)

An English form of the German name, Adelheid, it is composed of the Germanic elements, adel (noble) and heid (kind, sort, type). It was borne by a 10th-century saint and wife of Otto the Great.

Its popularity in the English-speaking world was sparked in the 19th-century when William IV took Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen as his wife. As a result, several places throughout the former British Empire were named in her honour, including Adelaide, Australia.

In addition, the name has been borne by several other royal personages throughout history.

Currently, Adelaide is the 434th most popular name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Adelgjejda Адэльгейда (Belarusian)
  • Adeljajda АдэлЯйда (Belarusian)
  • Adelaid (Breton)
  • Adelaida Аделаида (Catalan/Czech/Hungarian/Russian/Slovene/Spanish)
  • Adléta (Czech)
  • Adelaide (Danish/English/Italian/Portuguese/Swedish)
  • Alhed (Danish)
  • Adelheid (Dutch/Finnish/German/Norwegian)
  • Adelheidis (Dutch)
  • Aleida (Dutch/German)
  • Alida (Dutch/Hungarian/Latvian)
  • Aadelheide (Estonian)
  • Alide (Estonian)
  • Adélaïde (French)
  • Alette (French/Norwegian)
  • Aleit (Frisian)
  • Elke (Frisian)
  • Talea (Frisian)
  • Tale (Frisian)
  • Talia/Thalia (Frisian)
  • Talisa (Frisian)
  • Talke/Thalke (Frisian)
  • Adelaira (Galician)
  • Delaira (Galician)
  • Alheit (German)
  • Alke (German)
  • Heide (German)
  • Heidi (German)
  • Adina (Hungarian)
  • Aletta (Hungarian/Italian)
  • Alett (Hungarian)
  • Alitta (Hungarian)
  • Adelasia (Italian: archaic)
  • Aalis (Medieval French)
  • Alides (Norwegian: archaic)
  • Adalais (Occitanian)
  • Asalais or Azalaïs (Occitanian)
  • Ahlheid (Plattdeutsch)
  • Ahlheit (Plattdeutsch)
  • Adelajda (Polish)

Common English diminutives are: Addie, Del and Lady.

The designated name-days are: January 30 (Poland), February 5 (Poland), December 12 (Poland), December 16 (Estonia/Germany/Poland), December 17 (France).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/adelaide

Sarai

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Hebrew
The name is found in the Old Testament (Genesis 17:15) as the original name of Sarah before it was changed by God. It is believed to be derived from a Hebrew source meaning “contentious.”
Currently, Sarai is the 422nd most popular female name in the United States, (2010). It is rather popular among the Hispanic-American community.
Other forms of the name include:
  • Saraj (Czech/Polish. sah-RYE)
  • Saarai (Finnish)
  • Saraï (French. SAH-HRAH-EE)
  • Sárai (Hungarian. SHAH-rye)
  • Szárai (Hungarian. SAH-rye)
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Cyrus

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Persian

The name is found in History and in the Old Testament as the name of one of the most powerful leaders who ever lived, Cyrus the Great (c. 600 BC or 576 BC–530 BC). He was a conqueror of the Babylonians and who, according to the Bible, freed the captive Jews, allowing them to return to their homeland. It is also borne by several other Persian kings.

Cyrus, in its Persian form, has always been a popular male name in Iran. In the English-speaking world, it did not catch on until after the Protestant Reformation. Currently, Cyrus is the 488th most popular male name in the United States, (2010). The name is commonly used among Iranian-Americans, due to it being such a classic name in Iran and the fact that it is easily translatable to English.

As for its etymology, general consensus agrees that it may derive from the ancient Persian elements khor (sun) and vash (likeness). However, the noted linguist, Karl Hoffman (1915-1996), argued that it is based on an Indo-European root meaning “to humiliate.”

Other forms of the name include:

  • Kores (Afrikaans)
  • Kyowros Կյուրոս (Armenian)
  • Ciru (Asturian)
  • Kir Кир (Azeri/Belarusian/Bosnian/Bulgarian/Croatian/Kyrgyz/Polish/Russian/Rusyn/SerbianUkrainian)
  • Kuir (Basque)
  • Ziro (Basque)
  • Kirus (Breton)
  • Cir (Catalan/Occitanian)
  • Kýros (Czech/Icelandic/Slovak/Slovene)
  • Cyrus (Dutch/English/French/Latin/Polish/Romanian)
  • Kyros Κυρος (Estonian/German/Greek/Scandinavian)
  • Kyyros (Finnish)
  • Cyr (French)
  • Syrus (Frisian)
  • Cíoras (Gaelic)
  • K’iros კიროს (Georgian)
  • Koresh כּוֹרֶשׁ (Hebrew)
  • Círus/Cýrus (Hungarian)
  • Kurus (Hungarian)
  • Cirino (Italian)
  • Ciro (Italian. CHEE-ro)
  • Cirotto (Italian)
  • Kurushi Куруши (Kyrgyz)
  • Kûruşê (Kurdish)
  • Kīrs (Latvian)
  • Kyras (Lithuanian)
  • Kurusy (Malay)
  • Kurush/Kourosh کوروش‎ (Persian)
  • Ciro (Spanish/Portuguese. SEE-ro; THEE-ro)
  • Kiros (Turkish)
The designated name-days are: January 31 (Poland) and September 12 (Poland).
The name has several feminine offshoots, including Cyra, (Eng. SY-rah), which was a popular female name during the Byzantine empire and the Russian, Kira (KEER-ah). Kira  is currently the 90th most popular female name in Hungary, (2010) and the 308th most popular in the United States, (2010). Other feminine forms include:
  • Kira Кира (Bulgarian/German/Hungarian/Latvian/Polish/Russian/Ukrainian)
  • Cyra (English/Latin/Polish)
  • Kiira (Estonian/Finnish)
  • Kyra (Greek/English)
  • Kíra (Hungarian)
  • Cira (Italian/Spanish)
  • Cirina (Italian)
The designated name-days for Kira are: March 10 (Latvia), March 12 (Russia), July 7 (Poland), October 12 (Latvia). November 7 (Estonia).
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Danica

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The name is derived from a pan-Slavic word meaning “morning star; venus.” In Slavic mythology it was borne by the personification of the morning star.

In the United States, the name seems to have appeared out of nowhere in the 1970s. In 1977, it first entered the top 1000 coming in as 924th most popular female name. Never a popular name, there have been a few well-known personages who have borne the name, leading to the now standard anglicized pronunciation of (DAN-ik-kuh). In all the Slavic languages where it is commonly used as a given name, it is pronounced (dah-NEET-sah).

Currently, it is the 424th most popular name in the United States, (2010).

Coincidentally, it is also the Latin name for Denmark, in which case it is pronounced (DAN-ik-kuh).

The name is borne by actresses Danica McKeller (b.1975) and race car driver Danica Patrick (b.1982).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/danica

Malcolm

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: “follower of St. Columba.”
Eng (MAL-kəm)

The name is composed of the Scots Gaelic elements Máel (follower) and Coluim (Columba). The name was borne by four Scottish kings, the most famous being Malcolm III who killed the usurper Macbeth and whom the 1606 Shakespeare play Macbeth is based on.

Currently, Malcolm is the 527th most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other, more unusual forms of the name include:

  • Malcom (German)
  • Máel Coluim (Scottish)
  • Malkolm (Polish/Swedish)
An obscure Scottish feminine form is Malina.
The name was also borne by civil rights activist, Malcolm X (1925-1965)
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Serena

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “clear; serene; calm; dry.”
Eng (sə-REEN-ə); It (se-RE-nah)

The name is derived from the Late Latin male name, Serenus, which comes directly from the Latin word meaning “serene, calm, clear, tranquil” and is related to the Greek word  ξηρός (xeros) meaning “dry”, a term used to describe clear weather.

The name was borne by several early Roman martyrs, including the legendary wife of Diocletian, who was murdered by her own husband after defending two Christians her husband had condemned. She is venerated as the patron saint of Lazio in Italy.

It was also borne by the niece of the Emperor Theodosius I, (b.365).

Currently, it is the 398th most popular female name in the United States, (2018).

It’s rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • #58 (Italy, 2018)
  • #325 (France, 2018)
  • #386 Séréna (France, 2018)
  • #458 (England & Wales, 2018)

Other forms of the name include:

  • Serina (English/Norwegian/Romansch)
  • Séréna (French)
  • Szeréna (Hungarian)
  • Szerénke (Hungarian)
  • Serenetta (Italian)
  • Serenilla (Italian)
  • Serine (French/Nowergian)
  • Seraine/Sereine (Old French)
  • Seraina (Romansch)
  • Sereina (Romansch)
Masculine forms include:
  • Seré (Catalan)
  • Sérène (French)
  • Szerénusz (Hungarian)
  • Sereno (Italian/Spanish)
  • Serenillo (Italian)
  • Serenus (Latin)
  • Seren (Polish, rare)

The name is borne by tennis player, Serena Williams (b.1981).

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