Gender: Feminine
Origin: Italian
Meaning: “amber.”
(AHM-brah)
The name comes directly from the Italian word for amber and has been used as a given name since Medieval times. It went out of usage after the 16th-century and was revived in the 20th-century.
It is currently the 32nd most popular female name in Italian-speaking, Switzerland, (2010).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Scandinavian
The name is derived from a Scandinavian short form of Margaret and has been used as an independent given name since at least the 19th-century.
It is also the name of a river in England and in the English-speaking world, especially within Britain, the name may have been bestowed in reference to the river.
It is also the name of a genus of butterfly.
It was introduced to the English-speaking world, (specifically the United States) via Scandinavian immigrants of the 19th-century. It was further popularized in the 1930s by Swedish actress, Greta Garbo. In fact, the highest Greta ever ranked in the U.S. was in 1932 coming in as the 318th most popular female name. As of 2010, it was the 666th most popular female name in the United States, (2010)
It is the 12th most popular female name in Italian-speaking Switzerland, (2010) and her rankings in other countries are as follows:
Other forms of the name include:
The name is also borne by famed lawyer and TV host, Greta van Susteran (b.1954)
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Biblical Hebrew נָעֳמִי
Meaning: “pleasantness.”
Eng (nay-OH-mee); (nye-OH-mee)
The name is derived from the Hebrew נָעֳמִי (Na’omiy) “pleasantness.”
It is borne in the Old Testament by the mother-in-law of Ruth, who later changes her name to Mara to express the grief she experienced after losing her husband and sons.
The name was always common among Jews but did not catch on in the English-Christian world until after the Protestant Reformation.
Currently, its Italian/German form of Noemi is the 3rd most popular female name in Italian-speaking Switzerland, (2010). Her rankings in both forms are as follows:
It can also be a Japanese female name, being composed of the elements 直 (nao) “straight” and 美 (mi) “beautiful.”
Its recent popularity in Italy might be due to Italian pop singer, Noemi.
The name is also borne by supermodel, Naomi Campbell.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Italian
Meaning: debated
(jee-NAVE-rah)
The name has often been used as an Italian cognate for the Celtic, Guinevere, but it has also long been believed to be related to the Italian word ginepro (juniper). In the latter case, the city of Geneva, Switzerland, would share the same etymology.
Ginevra was a popular female name in Medieval Italy.
Currently, Ginevra is the 37th most popular female name in Italian-speaking Switzerland, (2010).
In the English-speaking world, the name was recently brought to attention via the J.K. Rowling books, Harry Potter, in which it is the name of Ron Weasley’s sister, Ginny.
Other forms include:
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Italian
The name could either be a contracted Italian form of Elisabetta or it may be a feminine form of Eliseo, the Italian form of Elisha.
Its French form of Élise was introduced via the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820).
Currently, Elisa is the 7th most popular female name in Italian-speaking Switzerland, (2010) and the 12th most popular in Italy, (2010). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
Gender: Feminine
Origin: French
The name is derived from the French female name, Michèle, a feminine form of Michel.
The name was popularized outside of France from the 1965 Beatles ballad, Michelle. Between 1968 and 1969 the name entered the U.S. top 10, ranking in as the 2nd most popular female name in the United States. As of 2010, Michelle came in as the 125th most popular female name in America.
Michelle’s usage has spread to Scandinavia, the Netherlands, South America and German-speaking countries. She is the 26th most popular female name in Italian-speaking, Switzerland, (2010)
Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Armenian Մանե
Meaning: “manna.”
(MAH-neh)
The name is derived from the Armenian, manana, meaning “manna”, the heavenly substance as described in the Bible.
Currently, Mane is the most popular female name in Armenia, (2010).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: French
The name is a French feminine form of Nicolas.
The name became extremely popular in the United States during the 1980s, in 1981 it came in as the 6th most popular female name. As of 2010, she was the 122nd most popular female name in the United States, (2010).
Currently, she is the 10th most popular female name in Italian-speaking, Switzerland, (2010). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Dutch/English/German
(BEN)
The name could either be from a short form of the Biblical male name Benjamin or it could be a Dutch diminutive form of Bernhard.
Currently, Ben is the most popular male name in Germany, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “short; small; humble; few.”
Eng (PAWL)
The name is derived from the Latin Roman family name, Paulus, which could translate as meaning, “small, short; humble; few.”
Paul and his various forms has to be one of the most common male names used throughout the Christian world. It has been used equally among Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants.
Its most famous bearer was Paul of Tarsus, whose real name was Saul. St. Paul, as referred to by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, is attributed as being the author of much of the New Testament.
The name was borne by several popes, royals and saints thereafter.
Currently, its Germanic form of Paul is the 8th most popular male name in Germany, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:
Other forms of the name include:
For a Reference a Female forms See Paula and Paulina (soon to come)