Theodore

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “god’s gift.”

The name is derived from the Greek Theodoros (Θεοδωρος) which is composed of the elements θεος (theos) meaning “god” and δωρον (doron) “gift.” The name was borne by several early saints, two popes and three tsars of Russia.

In recent American history the name was borne by President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) of whom the Teddy Bear was named for.

It is currently the 263rd most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

An interesting fact: Dorothy is derived from the same Greek roots but in reverse order.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Tewodros ተውዶሮስ (Amharic)
  • Tadros تادرس (Arabic: used among Arab Christians)
  • Todos ܛܘܕܘܫ (Aramaic: used among Assyrian and Chaldean Christians)
  • Hvejdar Хведар (Belarusian)
  • Teodor Теодор (Bulgarian/Catalan/Croatian/Czech/Danish/Estonian/Finnish/Hungarian/Polish/Romanian/Scandinavian/Slovakian/Slovene/Ukrainian)
  • Todor (Bulgarian/Serbiab/Northern Greek)
  • Theirn (Cajun)
  • Theodoor (Dutch)
  • Theodorus (Dutch/Latin)
  • Theodore თევდორე (English/Georgian)
  • Tuudor (Estonian)
  • Teuvo (Finnish)
  • Théodore (French)
  • Theodor (German)
  • Theodoros Θεόδωρος (Greek)
  • Thodoros Θόδωρος (Greek)
  • Fedor (Hungarian)
  • Tivadar (Hungarian)
  • Tódor (Hungarian)
  • Téodóir (Irish)
  • Teodoro (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Todaro (Italian)
  • Teodors (Latvian)
  • Thei (Limburgish)
  • Teodoras (Lithuanian)
  • Toše Тоше (Macedonian)
  • Tiodore (Occitanian)
  • Toader (Romanian)
  • Tudor (Romanian/Welsh)
  • Fedor Федор (Russian/Slovene)
  • Fjodor Фёдор (Russian)
  • Teodoru (Sicilian)
  • Fedja (Slovene)
  • Todor (Slovene)
  • Fedir Федір (Ukrainian)
  • Tewdwr/Tudur (Welsh)
Common diminutives include:
  • Tosho Тошо (Bulgarian)
  • Toshko Тошко(Bulgarian)
  • Ted/Teddy (English)
  • Tedo თედო (Georgian)
  • Fedja Федя (Russian)

Its feminine form of Theodora was very popular in Byzantium, it was borne by at least five Byzantine Empresses including Empress Theodora who is also revered as a saint.

Other feminine forms include:

  • Teodora Теодора თეოდორა (Bulgarian/Catalan/Crotian/Georgian/Italian/Macedonian/Polish/Portuguese/Romanian/Serbian/Slovene/Spanish/Swedish)
  • Todorka Тодорка (Bulgarian/Macedonian)
  • Theodora Θεοδώρα (Czech/English/German/Greek)
  • Theda (English/German)
  • Théodora (French)
  • Teodóra (Hungarian)
  • Fedora Федора (Russian/Slovene)
  • Feodora Феодора (Russian)

Walter

Gender: Masculine
Origin: German
Meaning: “ruler of an army.”

The name is composed of the Old High German elements, wald (ruler) and hari (army). The name was used in England pre-Norman invasion in the Anglo-Saxon form of Wealdhere but was soon replaced with the Normanized Walter. It was borne by a legendary Visigothic king who appears in several Medieval poems and epics.

There have been several other notable bearers throughout history, one of the most famous being Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).

Currently it is the 332nd most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms include:

  • Wealdhere (Anglo-Saxon)
  • Valter (Czech/Finnish/Italian/Hungarian/Norwegian/Russian/Slovak/Slovene/Swedish)
  • Valder (Danish/Norwegian)
  • Wouter (Dutch)
  • Walter (English/German/Italian/Polish/Scandinavian)
  • Valterri (Finnish)
  • Gauthier/Gautier (French)
  • Wolter (Frisian)
  • Waldhar (German: archaic)
  • Walther (German)
  • Valtier (Hungarian)
  • Gaulterio (Italian)
  • Gaultero (Italian)
  • Gaultiero (Italian)
  • Gaulterius (Late Latin)
  • Valters (Latvian)
  • Valtare (Norwegian)
  • Walthari (Old High German)
  • Wöltje (Plattdeutsch)
  • Guálter (Portuguese)
  • Gualtério (Portuguese)
  • Bhaltair (Scottish)
  • Bhàtair (Scottish)
  • Volter (Swedish)
  • Gwallter (Welsh)

Diminutives include:

  • Woidda (Bavarian)
  • Valte (Danish)
  • Wout (Dutch)
  • Wally (English/German)
  • Walt (English)
  • Wat (English)
  • Wate (Frisian)
  • Watse (Frisian)
  • Valkó (Hungarian)
  • Valtika (Hungarian)
  • Valle (Swedish)
  • Wale/Wali/Walo (Swiss-German)
  • Walti (Swiss-German)
  • Wädi/Wädu (Swiss-German)

Feminine forms include:

  • Woutera (Dutch)
  • Wouterina (Dutch)
  • Waltera (German)
  • Gaultiera (Italian)
  • Gaultierina (Italian)
  • Valterina (Italian)

Source

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

Reginald, Ronald

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: “advice ruler.”

The name is derived from the Old Norse Ragnvaldr which is composed of the elements ragn (advice, council) and valdr (ruler). The name was introduced into Scotland and England via Viking settlers.

In recent history it was borne by former American President and actor Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).

Currently, Ronald is the 342nd most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Reinout (Dutch)
  • Reginald (English)
  • Ronald (English/Scottish)
  • Reino (Finnish)
  • Renaud/Reynaud (French)
  • Réginald (French)
  • Raghnall (Gaelic)
  • Reinald (German: archaic)
  • Reinhald (German)
  • Rajnald (Hungarian)
  • Rinaldo (Italian)
  • Reinaldo (Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Reynaldo (Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Ronaldo (Portuguese)
  • Ragnvald (Scandinavian: archaic)
  • Ranald (Scottish)
  • Rheinallt (Welsh)

Common English nicknames are Reg, Reggie, Ron and Ronnie.

Feminine forms include:

  • Rinalda (Italian)
  • Rinaldina (Italian)
  • Ronalda (Portuguese/Scottish)
Source

Lawrence

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “from Laurentum.”
Eng (LAW-rents)

The name is derived from the Latin cognomen Laurentius meaning “from Laurentum.” It was popularized by an early Roman deacon, martyr and saint who was roasted alive when he refused to turn over church property to the Roman authorities. According to legend, he is the patron saint of comedians because when he was being roasted he told his torturers “turn me over, I am done on this side.”

It was borne by several other saints.

Lawrence has been a popular given name since Medieval times and it consistently appeared in the U.S. top 100 from 1880-1971. By 1972 it mysteriously and suddenly fell completely out of popularity and it has been so since. It is currently only the 457th most popular male name, (2010).

Other forms include:

  • Nadja/Nadjeh (Arabic: used among Arab Christians)
  • Toufiq  لورنس (Arabic: used among Arab Christians)
  • Loren (Aragonese)
  • Lorient (Aragonese)
  • Lari (Basque)
  • Lawrencij Лаўрэнцій (Belarusian)
  • Laorañs (Breton)
  • Llorenç (Catalan)
  • Larenzu (Corsican)
  • Lovrenco (Croatian)
  • Lovre (Croatian. Currently the 58th most popular name in Croatia, 2010)
  • Lovro (Croatian)
  • Vavřinec (Czech/Slovak: literally from the Czech word for laurel, it has been used as the proper cognate for Lawrence since Christianity was introduced to the area)
  • Laurits/Lauritz (Danish/Estonian/Icelandic/Norwegian)
  • Lasse (Dutch/Norwegian/Swedish. LAHS-se)
  • Laurens (Dutch)
  • Loris (Dutch/French/German/Italian. Currently the 100th most popular male name in France, 2009)
  • Rens (Dutch. Currently the 79th most popular male name in the Netherlands)
  • Larkin (English: a Medieval diminutive form of Lawrence)
  • Lauri (Estonian/Finnish)
  • Lars (Finnish/Norwegian/Swedish. Currently the 14th most popular male name in the Netherlands, the 23rd most popular in Belgium and the 57th most popular in Norway)
  • Lassi (Finnish)
  • Laurent (French)
  • Laurentin (French)
  • Lourens (Frisian)
  • Labhrás (Gaelic) 
  • Loenso (Genovese)
  • Laurenzius (German: archaic)
  • Lenz (German)
  • Lorenz (German)
  • Lavrentios Λαυρεντιος (Greek)
  • Lőrinc (Hungarian)
  • Lárus (Icelandic)
  • Lorenzo (Italian/Spanish. Currently the 5th most popular male name in Italy and 52nd most popular in France (2009). It is also the 187th most popular in the Netherlands and the 322nd most popular in the United States, 2010)
  • Laurentius (Latin)
  • Lau (Limburgish)
  • Lor (Limburgish)
  • Laurynas (Lithuanian)
  • Lawrenz (Maltese)
  • Laurys (Manx)
  • Louothains (Norman)
  • Lavrans (Norwegian)
  • Laurenç (Occitanian)
  • Lleurant (Occitanian)
  • Laurencjusz (Polish)
  • Laurenty (Polish)
  • Wawrzyniec (Polish: literally from the Polish word for laurel, it has been used as the proper cognate for Lawrence since Christianity was introduced to the area)
  • Lourenço (Portuguese)
  • Laurențiu (Romanian)
  • Lavrentie (Romanian)
  • Lurintg (Romansch)
  • Lavrenti Лаврентий ლავრენტი (Russian/Georgian)
  • Larentu (Sardinian)
  • Labhrainn (Scottish)
  • Lovrenc (Slovene)
  • Laurisch (Sorbian)
  • Lorencio (Spanish: Medieval)
  • Lorens (Swedish)
  • Lavrentij Лаврентій (Ukrainian)
  • Lorenso (Venetian)
A common English diminutive is Larry a less common one Laurie
  • Toufiqia (Arabic)
  • Laurendia (Basque)
  • Laurenza (Corsican)
  • Laurenzia (Corsican)
  • Laurentien (Dutch)
  • Renske (Dutch)
  • Laurence (French)
  • Laurentine (French)
  • Lavrentia Λαυρεντία (Greek)
  • Lorentina (Italian)
  • Lorenza (Italian/Spanish)
  • Lorenzina (Italian)
  • Larentia (Latin)
  • Laurentina (Latin)
  • Laurencja (Polish)
  • Laurentyna (Polish)
Source

Gideon

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.
Source

 

Solomon

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

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

Cyrus

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).
Source

Ari

The name can have a few derivations and meanings depending on the ethnic background of the bearer. In Hebrew, it is the word for lion  אֲרִי, Lev, its Russian counterpart, was a popular cognate among Eastern European Jews.

In Albanian it means “gold” and is a common element that appears in many traditional Albanian names.

It is a common Badaga male name, (Badaga is a dialect of Kannada, an Indian language) and it means “sun-like”, it is often anglicized as Harry.

In Finnish and Estonian it was originally used as a form of Adrian and also used as a borrowing from the Old Norse, (see below).

Among Greeks, it is the modern form of the mythological name, Ares, meaning “best”, though commonly used as an independent given name it is also used as a short form of Aristostle.

In Armenian it means brave Արի, and it is also an Old Norse name meaning “eagle.”

Currently, Ari is the 502nd most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

In recent years, Entourage has brought this name to the forefront as the name of one of the key characters.

It is also borne by the husband of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, Ari Behn (b.1972).

Other notable bearers include:

  • Ari Þorgilsson (Iceland’s foremost Medieval Chronicler 1067-1158)
  • RabbiIsaac Luria (1534–1572), Jewish rabbinical scholar and mystic known also as Ari
  • Ari Emmanuel (brother of Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emmanuel and a famous American talent agent)
  • Ari Fleischer (b.1960, U.S. press secretary for George W. Bush).

Sources

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/ari-1
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_(name)

Moses

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Debated
Meaning: debated

The name is borne in the Old Testament and in the Qu’ran by the a renowned prophet and law giver, who according to tradition was placed in a basket by his Hebrew mother and found by the daughter of Pharaoh (in Judeo-Christian religion) or the wife of Pharaoh (in Islamic tradition) and raised as an Egyptian prince. It is from this tradition that the name is believed to be derived from the Hebrew element משה (mšh) as stated in  Exodus 2:10:

“[…] she called his name Moses (משה): and she said, Because I drew him (משיתהו) out of the water.” (KJV).

 

It has been suggested that the name is in fact of Egyptian origins, being related to the Coptic elements, mo (water) and uses (saved; delivered) hence: “saved from the water.” Another suggestion is the Egyptian element, ms (child; born) as found in such ancient Egyptian male names as Tuth-Mose and Ram-messes.

The name has always been common among Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians, but did not catch on in the English-speaking world until after the Protestant Reformation. Medieval Jews of England used the Middle English form of Moss.

It is currently the 509th most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Moses (Afrikaans/English/German/Scandinavian/Welsh)
  • Moisiu (Albanian)
  • Musa موسى Муса (Amharic/Arabic/Azeri/Bosnian/Kabyle/Swahili/Tatar/Turkish)
  • Moisen (Aragonese)
  • Movses Մովսես (Armenian)
  • Moises (Basque)
  • Majsjej Майсей (Belarusian)
  • Moizez (Breton)
  • Moisej Моисей (Bulgarian)
  • Moisès (Catalan)
  • Moisije Мојсије (Croatian/Serbian)
  • Moše (Croatian)
  • Mojžíš (Czech/Slovak)
  • Mozes (Dutch)
  • Mooses (Estonian/Finnish)
  • Móses (Faroese/Icelandic)
  • Moïse (French)
  • Maois (Gaelic)
  • Mose მოსე (Georgian/German/Romansch/Swedish)
  • Mouses Μωυσης (Greek)
  • Moshe מֹשֶׁה (Hebrew/Ladino)
  • Mózes (Hungarian)
  • Mosè (Italian)
  • Müsa Мұса (Kazakh)
  • Mosa (Kurdish)
  • Mûsa (Kurdish)
  • Moyses (Latin)
  • Mozus (Latvian)
  • Mozė (Lithuanian)
  • Мојсеј (Macedonian)
  • Moss (Middle English)
  • Moïses (Occitanian/Provençal)
  • Mojżesz (Polish)
  • Moisés (Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Moise (Romanian)
  • Moisej Моісей (Rusyn/Ruthenian)
  • Moiséj Моисе́й (Russian)
  • Muozė (Saimogaitian)
  • Mojzes (Slovene)
  • Muuse (Somalian)
  • Mojsej Мойсей (Ukrainian)
  • Moosõs (Voro)
  • Moishe (Yiddish)
Recently, actress Gwyneth Paltrow bestowed this name on her second child, Moses Bruce Anthony Martin (b. 2006)
Sources