Panu

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  • Origin: Finnish
  • Meaning: “fire; flame;” also a diminutive form of Urban
  • Gender: Male
  • Usage: Finnish
  • Pron: (PAH-noo)

The name began as a Finnish diminutive form of the Latin name Urban. The name took on new significance in the 19th century, when Finnish national romanticism reinterpreted Panu through its resemblance to the native word panu, meaning “fire” or “flame.”

In Finnish folklore and epic poetry, Panu appears as the spirit or personification of fire, particularly in the mythological corpus connected to the Kalevala.

The name’s modern popularity was reinforced by Juhani Aho’s 1897 historical novel Panu, which centers on the clash between Christianity and ancient Finnish paganism. In Aho’s novel, the protagonist Panu is the last pagan priest defending the old faith. The book was highly influential in the Finnish national revival movement and helped cement Panu as a culturally resonant personal name.

The designated name-day in Finland is November 11.

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Mizan

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  • Origin: Arabic موازين‎; Ethiopic ሚዛን
  • Meaning: “balance; scales.”
  • Gender: Male

The name comes from the ancient Semitic root √W-Z-N / √ʾ-Z-N, meaning “to weigh, measure, or balance.”

Its Arabic use is from mīzān (ميزان) → “balance, scales,” appearing throughout the Qur’an as the mīzān al-ʿadl — the scales of divine justice and its Geʽez / Amharic use comes from mäzan / mizan (መዛን), meaning “measure, equilibrium, fairness.”

Compare to Hebrew moznaim (מאזניים) “the balances,” also symbolizing moral and cosmic fairness and the name of the astrological sign of Libra, though it is not used as a given-name.

In the Islamic world, Mizan represents the moral equilibrium of the universe — the balance by which every soul’s deeds are weighed.

In Ethiopian usage, Mizan retains the literal sense of “measure” but has become a spiritual and philosophical name, expressing inner balance and moral clarity. It’s also a familiar place name — as in Mizan Teferi, “Prince of Balance,” a town in southwest Ethiopia.

A Kurdish form is Mîzan.

Mizani is the Swahili form and is a unisex name.

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Ojārs

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  • Origin: Latvian
  • Meaning: “rascal; mischievous; lively man.”
  • Gender: Male
  • (oh-YARHZ)

The name comes directly from the Latvian word meaning, “rascal, mischievous; lively man.” The word itself may be connected to the Old Polish ogier (stallion), or the Estonian oja (stream). The Polish ogier – stallion – rascal, seems more likely.

It likely came into use thanks to the Latvian eponymous short story, Ojārs (1892) by Ānsis Lerhis-Puškaitis. It was first recorded as a given-name in Riga in 1903, inducted into the Latvian name-day calendar in 1908, and started to experience relative popularity between the 1920s-1970s.

Notable bearers include, Latvian sculptor, Ojārs Arvīds Feldbergs (b. 1947); Latvian singer, Ojārs Grīnbergs (1942-2016); Latvian politician, Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš (1949-2021); and Latvian author, Ojārs Vācietis (1933-1983).

The designated name-day is November 11th.

Source

  • Siliņš, Kārlis. Latviešu personvārdu vārdnīca. Rīga: Avots, 1990.

Herfried

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  • Origin: German
  • Meaning: “peaceful army.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Anglo-Saxon variation: Herefrið; English form: Herefrith
  • German pron: HER-freet

The name is composed of the Germanic elements heri (army) and fridu (peace).

It is currently very rare in contemporary German-speaking countries, a notable bearer being German political scientist, Herfried Münkler (b. 1951).

Herefrið is the Anglo-Saxon version, written as Herefrith in Modern English. It was borne by a 9th-century Bishop of Winchester and an Abbott of Lindisfarne recorded in the works of the Venerable Bede.

It’s designated name-day in Austria is November 9th.

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Gwawr, Gwawrddydd

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  • Origin: Welsh
  • Meaning: “dawn; daybreak.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Pronunciation: Gwawr, Gwawrdydd

Gwawr is derived from the Welsh word for “dawn,” whereas Gwawrdydd is from the Welsh meaning, “daybreak.”

In Welsh legend and early medieval hagiography, Gwawr is mentioned as one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog, a 5th-century Welsh chieftain and saint reputed to have had many saintly children.

A notable bearer is Welsh concert soprano, Gwawr Edward (b. 1984).

Gwawr continues to experience quiet usage in Wales, whereas Gwawrdydd remains rare, last experiencing rare use in the mid 1800s. Another rarer variation is Gwawrwen (fair dawn; white dawn; holy dawn).

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Mardiyyah

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  • Origin: Arabic مَرضِيَّة
  • Meaning: “pleasing; satisfactory.”
  • Variant transcription: Marziyyah, Mardhiyah
  • Gender: Female

The name is derived from the Arabic root ر ض ي (r-ḍ-y), meaning “to be pleased, content, or satisfied.” The form mardiyyah is the feminine passive participle.

It is a Qurʾānic name, appearing in Sūrat al-Fajr (89:28–30).

International Variations include:

  • Mərziyə (Azeri)
  • Mardhiah, Mardiah (Malay, Indonesian)
  • Marzieh, Marziyeh مرضیه (Persian)
  • Märziya Мәрзия (Tatar)

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Svirbutas

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A Lithuanian basic training soldier by U.S. Department of Defense is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
  • Origin: Lithuanian
  • Meaning: debated
  • Gender: Male

Svirbutas is an ancient Lithuanian male name, attested in historical sources from the 13th–15th centuries. It belongs to the older layer of Baltic personal names that predate Christianization, often formed from archaic roots with meanings now obscure or lost.

It likely derives from the Lithuanian elements svir (to swing, to sway; to be of importance) and but (to be; to exist).

The designated name-day is November 8th.

A potential Lithuanian female form is Svirbutė.

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Rangel

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  • Origin: Bulgarian Рангел
  • Meaning: “archangel.”
  • Gender: Male

Not to be confused with the Spanish surname of a different etymology, Rangel is a traditional Bulgarian first name derived from Рангел (arangel), meaning “archangel.”

The designated name-day is November 8th.

Notable bearers include Bulgarian actor, Rangel Valchanov (1928-2013); and Bulgarian footballer, Rangel Ignatov (b. 1997).

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Elide, Elidi

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Moonlight (Au clair de la
  • Origin: Uncertain
  • Usage: Italian, English, Spanish, Brazilian-Portuguese
  • Meaning: unknown
  • Gender: Female
  • Variant: Elidia
  • It pron (ey-LEE-dey); British pron (EL-ih-dee)

Elide is an Italian feminine given name of uncertain origin that has been in use since medieval times, particularly in northern and central Italy. Although many modern name dictionaries list it as meaning “gift from the sun,” said to derive from Greek, this explanation appears to be a highly exaggerated etymology rather than a historically documented derivation, however, it is possible it derives from the Greek, Helios (sun).

According to several Italian onomastic sources, Elide may in fact derive from a toponymic origin — the ancient Greek place name Ilida (Ἦλις, Latin Elis), a region of the Peloponnese that was home to Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic Games.

Elidia is another Italian variation, which also appears in use in 18th-19th-century British and American records, while Elídia is the Spanish and Portuguese form.

There is Elidi, which has recently had rare use in the U.K., being given to 3 babies in 2024. It may be inspired by the similarly sounding and trending Elodie. Whereas, Elide has been given to 80 girls in Italy in 2024.

Elidia has the same rhythm and style as Olivia and it may appear to be a more elaborate form of Lydia at first glance, which may appeal to modern parents.

Other Italian forms include: Elida, Ellide, and Ellida, while the masculine forms are Elido and Elidio (the latter when spelled Elídio is Spanish and Portuguese).

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Makeda

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  • Origin: Amharic / Geʽez: ማክዳ
  • Meaning: debated
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Pronunciation (muh-KAY-dah)

Makeda (also rendered Makda or Mäkēda) is a female name of Ethiopian origin, best known as the traditional name of the Queen of Sheba in Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Geʽez sources.

In the Kebra Nagast (“The Glory of Kings”), Ethiopia’s national epic written in Geʽez, Makeda is portrayed as the Queen of Sheba who visits King Solomon in Jerusalem — a story paralleling the biblical and Qurʾānic accounts. Through her union with Solomon, she becomes the ancestress of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia for centuries.

While the precise etymology of the name in Geʽez or Amharic is debated, some Ethiopian scholars interpret it as meaning “greatness, prominence, power,” and according to the original legend, it means “not thus,” from when she proclaimed it was thus not right to worship the sun but the God of the Hebrew Bible. Other sources relate it to the same root as the name Magdala (tower), and others have suggested it is a corruption of Candace.

In modern Ethiopia, Makda is a variation.

This name was given to Bob Marley’s daughter in 1981, which set off a trend of use in the African-American community.

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