Bricta, Brixia, Brixta

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  • Origin: Gaullish
  • Meaning: “magic, spell, incantation.”
  • Gender: Female

Bricta (also spelled Brixta) is an ancient Gaulish female name derived from the Celtic root brict– or brixt-, meaning “magic, spell, incantation.” It shares its etymology with the modern Spanish word bruja. It may also share an etymology or be linked with Bridget.

Bricta is historically attested as the name of a Celtic goddess worshiped in Gaul, particularly in the region of Luxovium (modern Luxeuil-les-Bains, France). In inscriptions, she appears alongside the local healing god Luxovius, who presided over the sacred thermal springs of the area.

This pairing suggests that Bricta was his consort or counterpart, a water and healing deity, perhaps embodying purification, fertility, and the magical powers of sacred springs.

Bricta is a bit clunky but there is something magical sounding about Brixta. Perhaps a modern and fresher take on Brenda.

The name has also appeared as Brixia.

I often wonder how this name would have survived into modern French, Brixie?

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Mumtaz

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woman admirning the majestic taj mahal
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  • Origin: Arabic ممتاز
  • Meaning: “excellent; distinguished.”
  • Gender: Unisex

The name is derived from the Arabic root م-ت-ز (m-t-z), meaning “to be distinguished, eminent, or excellent.” As an adjective, Mumtaz literally means “distinguished,” “excellent,” “outstanding,” or “exalted.”

It is often used as a word of exclamation in the same way “that’s cool” or “that’s great” is used in English.

It is also used as a given-name. In the Arabic-speaking world, it is a masculine name but in Southeast Asia, it is unisex. A notable female bearer was Mumtaz Mahal (1593–1631),
the beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, for whom the Taj Mahal was built. Her real name was Arjumand Banu Begum, but she was titled Mumtaz Mahal, meaning “Distinguished One of the Palace.”

Mümtaz is the Turkish form, it is mostly masculine but is occasionally used on females.

A strictly feminine form is Mumtaza(h)

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Dalbit

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  • Origin: Korean 달빛
  • Meaning: “moonlight.”
  • Gender: Unisex

From the Korean word 달빛 meaning, “moonlight,” it is a unisex name that is slightly more common for girls.

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Meinolf

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  • Origin: German
  • Meaning: “powerful wolf.”
  • Gender: Male
  • (MY-nulf)

The name is from the Old German, magin, magen (powerful) and wulf (wolf).

The name was borne by a 9th-century saint, a godson of Charlemagne, who according to legend found his monastery on the spot where he saw a stag appear with a cross between its antlers.

It is also a German surname, in which case, it is a patronymic derived from the given-name.

The designated name-day is October 5th.

Usage

The name is used in Dutch-speaking countries, German-speaking countries and Nordic countries, though nowadays, it is rather old fashioned.

German Diminutives

  • Meino

International Variations

  • Melf (Frisian)
  • Meinolph (German, alternate spelling)
  • Meinolphus (Latin)
  • Maganulf, Maginulf, Meginulf (Old German)
  • Magnulf (Old Norse)

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Mahtab

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  • Origin: Persian مهتاب
  • Meaning: “moonlight.”
  • Gender: Female, unisex in Southeast Asia
  • Pron: MAH-tawb

The name is from the Persian word, مهتاب (mahtab), meaning “moonlight.” It is a poetic female name that has spread throughout the Persianate world. It is occasionally used on males in Southeast Asia.

Notable Bearers

  • Mahtab Singh (1782-1813), was the first wife of Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire.
  • Mehtab Kadın (1830-1888) (Turkish form), was the name of the consort of Sultan Abdulmejid I of the Ottoman Empire.
  • Mahtob Mahmoody (b. 1979): Iranian-American author and daughter of Betty Mahmoody, whose story inspired Not Without My Daughter (1991), starring Sally Field.

Its Turkish form of Mehtap was among the top 100 girls’ Turkish names between 1980-1993, and peaked at # 58 in 1983.

International Variations

  • Mehtəb (Azeri)
  • Mahtob Маҳтоб (Tajik, Uzbek)
  • Mahitab (Turkish – Ottoman)
  • Mehtap (Turkmen, Turkish)

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Zintis, Zinta

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  • Origin: Latvian
  • Meaning: “witchcraft, wizardry, magic, charms”
  • Zintis (m); Zinta (f)

From the Latvian word, zinte, meaning, “witchcraft, wizardry, magic, charms.” As a female given-name, it was first recorded in 1922. Its designated name-day is April 6th.

The male form of Zintis came into use in 1940. Its designated name-day is January 7th.

Zintis itself is a Latvian slang term meaning “imp” or “devil.”

Its designated name-day in Latvia is April 6th.

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Numan

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  • Origin: Arabic نُعْمان
  • Meaning: “blood; red; bliss; anemone flower.”
  • Transliterations: Nu’man; Nouman (Maghrebi Arabic; Persian); Noman নোমান (Bengali, Tatar, Urdu)
  • Gender: Male
  • Pron (NOO-mahn)

The name comes directly from the Arabic word نُعْمان (nu’man), which is a poetic term describing “blood” as in a type of blood that brings vitality and beauty. It is also the word for the colour crimson and the anemone flower. It is ultimately from the root n–ʿ–m (ن ع م), which shares the same root with Naim نعم (comfort, tranquility, luxury, ease).

Numan ibn al-Munḏir (d. 602 CE) was one of the last Lakhmid kings of al-Ḥīrah, a pre-Islamic Arab Christian kingdom in southern Iraq. He is remembered in Arabic literature for his eloquence and patronage of poets.

In early Islamic history, Numan ibn Bashir al-Ansari (d. 684 CE) was a Companion of the Prophet Muḥammad and a prominent figure in the first Islamic century.

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Sarangerel

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  • Origin: Mongolian Сарангэрэл
  • Meaning: “moonlight.”
  • Gender: Female

The name comes directly from the Mongolian word сарны гэрэл (saran gerel), meaning, “moonlight.”

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Mythili

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  • Origin: Sanskrit मैथिली
  • Meaning: “from Mithila.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Variant Transciptions: Mythily, Maithili.
  • Sanskrit pron (MY-the-lee; MYTH-e-lee)

The name comes from Sanskrit मैथिली (Maithilī), meaning “from Mithila.” Mithila was the name of an ancient kingdom located in present-day Bihar (India) and parts of Nepal.

The most famous bearer of this name is Sita, heroine of the Ramayana. As the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila, she was called Mythili (“princess of Mithila”).

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