Luciana

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
IT (loo-CHYAH-nah)

The name is from the Latin and is a feminine form of the Roman family name, Lucianus which is derived from Lucius.

Currently, Luciana is the 692nd most popular female name in the United States, (2010) but is the 23rd most popular female name in Argentina, (2009).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Lucienne (French)
  • Luciana (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Lucjana (Polish)
  • Łucjana (Polish)

The name is borne by Italian actress, Luciana Paluzzi (b.1937).

Abril

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Catalan/Spanish
Meaning: “April.”
(ah-BREEL)

The name comes directly from the Spanish and Catalan word for April and is currently very popular across the Spanish-speaking world. It is the 11th most popular female name in Catalonia. Spain, (2021) and her rankings in other region and countries are as follows:

  • #28 (Spain, 2021)
  • # 41 (Galicia, Spain 2021)
  • # 68 (Mexico, 2021)

The name last appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 in 2017, ranking in at #895.

Ludmila

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Slavic
Meaning: “dear to the people.”

The name is composed of the Slavic elements lud (people; folk) and mil (dear; beloved; kind). The name is most likely a remnant from pre-Christian Slavic culture and survived due to a popular Czech saint of the same name.

St. Ludmila of Bohemia is considered the patron saint of Bohemia and is the mother of Good King Wenceslaus.

Alexandr Pushkin also used the name for his heroine in his 1820 poem based on Russian folklore, Ruslan and Ludmila. M. Glinka followed suit by creating an opera based on the poem.

Around the same time, in Poland, the name was popularized by a Romance written by Leo Potocki entitled, Żelisław & Ludmiła (1816).

As of 2009, Ludmila was the 20th most popular female name in Argentina.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Ljudmila/Lyudmila Людмила (Bulgarian/Hungarian/Russian/Slovene)
  • Ludmila Људмила (Czech/Serbian/Slovene)
  • Ludmiła (Polish)
  • Ludomiła (Polish)
  • Ludzimiła (Polish)
  • Ludźmiła (Polish)
  • Ľudmila (Slovak)
  • Lyudmyla Людмила (Ukrainian)

Diminutives include:

  • Lída (Czech)
  • Ljuda/Luda (Russian)

Masculine forms include

  • Lyudmil/Ljudmil Людмил (Bulgarian)
  • Ludmił (Polish)
  • Ludomił (Polish)

 

Juliana, Gillian

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Eng (JOO-lee-AH-nah); (JILL-yen; JILL-ee-EN)

The name is a feminine form of the Roman male name Iulianus, which is intern derived from Julius. Today, Julian is considered the English masculine cognate, but was used as a feminine name in Medieval England, as in the case of St. Julian of Norwich (1346-1416), an English mystic who is considered to be the first woman to have ever published a book. Though Julian remained a popular saint even after the Reformation, the name fell out of usage and was not revived until the 19th-century: as a male name. It was thereafter that Gillian and Juliana were used as the official feminine forms in the English-speaking world. Juliana has been the name of several other saints throughout Europe, and was most recently borne by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909-2004).

Its Italian form of Giuliana is currently the 39th most popular female name in Argentina, (2009) and the 376th most popular in the United States, (2010). While its Central European form of Julianna is currently the 176th most popular female name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Yuliana Юлиана (Bulgarian/Russian)
  • Julijana Јулијана (Croatian/Macedonian/Slovene)
  • Juliana (Dutch/English/Polish/Portuguese/Slovenian/Spanish)
  • Gillian (English)
  • Juliane (French/German)
  • Julienne (French)
  • Julianna (Hungarian/Polish)
  • Giuliana (Italian)
  • Giulianella (Italian)
  • Iuliana (Romanian)
  • Uliana Ульяна (Russian/Ukrainian)

Sol

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Old Norse/Latin/Spanish
Meaning: “sun”

The name is believed to be of ancient Indo-European roots and in Norse Mythology, she is the personification of the sun. Sól appears in Old Nordic literature, such as, the Prose Edda, where she is attested as being the sister of the Moon (Máni) and the daughter of Mundilfari. It is foretold that in the coming days of Ragnarók, she shall be devoured by the Fenris wolf, but beforehand, she shall give birth to a daughter who will take her place after the great battle.

Many scholars have theorized that the goddess may be an extension of a proto-European bronze age goddess and may be related to the Sanskrit Surya. This theory is supported by the fact that similar attestations and names appear in other Pre-Christian European religions, such as the Lithuanian Saulė, the Gaulic Saulis and the Slavic Solnitse. In Roman mythology, Sol was personified as a man.

In modern Spanish, Swedish and Norwegian, it is the word for sun and is occasionally bestowed as a female given name. It has recently become more common in Latin America, where it was originally used as a short form of Marisol, but is now more often used as an independent given name.

Currently, Sol is the 27th most popular female name in Argentina, (2009).

 

Delphine, Delfina

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Gender: Female
Origin: French
Meaning: “dolphin”
(del-FEEN)

This French classic was quite popular in the English-speaking world during the early 19th-century, now seen as a sort of vintage classic, the name may hold appeal to those who are endeared to such names as Josephine, Louise or Marguerite.

The name has its origins in the Greek male name, Delphinos, who, in Greek mythology was a dolphin lord under the god Poseidon.

When his master was wooing the beautiful Naiad Amphitrite, Poseidon demanded Delphinos to seek Amphitrite and to propose to her on his behalf. When Delphinos found the Naiad and brought her before the sea god, Poseidon made Delphinos into a constellation in gratitude for his services.

Alternately, the name could also be taken from the Greek city, Delphi, which ultimately has the same origin as Delphinos, meaning “dolphin.”

In the mortal world, the name first made its appearance in France around the 14th-century. It was borne by a Provençal saint. It was thereafter commonly used among the French aristocracy.

The name was also the subject of a famous French book entitled Delphine by Anne Louise Germaine de Staël, (1802).

The Delphinium plant has the same root and meaning as the name Delphine.

In English, delphine is also used as the adjectival form of dolphin.

Currently, Delfina is the 15th most popular female name in Argentina, (2009).

Other forms of the name include:
  • Delphia (Greek)
  • Delphina (Latin)
  • Delphinia (Latin)
  • Delfina (Italian/Polish/Spanish)
  • Delfino (Provençal)

It also has some male incarnations such as the French Delphin (del-FAHn). Other forms include

  • Delfin (French/Polish)
  • Delphinos (Greek)
  • Delphinus (Latin)
  • Delfino (Italian/Spanish)

Its designated name-day is November 9th.

Facundo

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: “eloquent.”

The name is derived from a Latin element meaning, “eloquent.”

It was borne by an early Spanish saint and martyr and was a fairly common name in the region of Castille during the Middle Ages but is now a rather obsolete name in Spain.

It is, however, a very popular name in Argentina. This is most likely due to the fame of Colonal Facundo Quiroga (1788-1835). Quiroga was a supporter and promoter of federalism during the formation of Argentina.

The name is borne by several other famous Argentines, including Facundo Arana (b.1971) and Facundo Cabral (1937-2011).

Currently, Facundo is the 10th most popular male name in Argentina, (2009).

Maximus

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “greatest”
Eng (MAKS-sim-mus)

The name comes directly from the Latin word for “greatness” and is found in several Roman designations, such as the Circus Maximus in Rome and was used as a title to denote importance in the case of the Pontifex Maximus (the highest priest in ancient Rome).

The name was most notably borne by Claudius Maximus, a 2nd-century stoic philosopher, and it was also borne by several saints.

In recent years, the name has seemed to experience a surge in popularity. In the English-speaking world, his popularity might be due to the popularity of other Max names and the release of the 2000 Ridley Scott film, Gladiator, in which the hero is named Maximus (as played by Russell Crowe).

In Europe, especially in Belgium and the Netherlands, both the male and feminine forms are very trendy. This may have been due to the marriage of Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands to the Argentine-born Maxima Zorreguieta (b.1971).

Currently, Maximus 233rd most popular male name in the United States, (2010). His rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 9 (Belgium, Maxime, 2009)
  • # 19 (France, Maxime, 2009)
  • # 35 (Argentina,Máximo 2009)
  • # 825 (the United States, Máximo 2010)

In French, Maxime is occasionally bestowed upon females, but is far more common among males. It is currently the 444th most popular female name in the Netherlands, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Màxim (Catalan)
  • Maksimká Максимкá (Chuvash)
  • Maksim Максим (Croatian/Belarusian/Bulgarian/Macedonian/Serbian)
  • Maxim Максим(Czech/Dutch/Hungarian/Kazakh/Romanian/Russian/Slovak/Ukrainian/Uzbek)
  • Maximus (Dutch/English/German)
  • Maxime (French)
  • Maksime მაქსიმე (Georgian)
  • Maximos Μάξιμος (Greek)
  • Miksa (Hungarian)
  • Massimo (Italian)
  • Massimino (Italian)
  • Maksims (Latvian)
  • Méme (Occitanian)
  • Maksym (Polish)
  • Máximo (Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Maximino (Portuguese)
  • Macsen (Welsh)
  • Maxen (Welsh)

Feminine forms include:

  • Massima (Italian)
  • Massimina (Italian)
  • Maxima (Hungarian)
  • Maksyma (Polish)
  • Máxima (Spanish)

Luan

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Luan Santana

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Albanian
Meaning: “lion.”
(LOO-ahn). Br Portuguese (loo-AHN)

The name comes from the Albanian word for lion and for whatever reason is also a very popular name in Brazil.

Its popularity in Brazil is a mystery but may be due to the fact that it sounds similar to the Portuguese word for moon, lua. In any case, according to Baby Center Brazil, it is the 58th most popular male name in Brazil (2010).

A feminine form is Luana, which is currently a very popular name in Albania, Romania and  Switzerland.

The name is borne by several famous Brazilians, including soccer player, Luan Andrade Santana (b.1988), soccer player Luan Michel Louza (b.1988) and pop singer Luan Santana (b.1991).

Nahuel

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Joel Sartore via National Geographic

Joel Sartore via National Geographic

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Mapuche
Meaning: “jaguar.”
(nah-WEL)

The name comes directly from the Mapuche word for jaguar and is currently the 26th most popular male name in Argentina, (2009).

It was the name of a medium tank developed in Argentina during WWII, the equivalent of the American M4 Sherman.

The name appears in Stephanie Meyer’s last book of the Twilight Series, Breaking Dawn as the name of a half-vampire half-human character.