I assume someone on these boards has already compiled this sort of a list. Just was curious and did a little checking...
TARA (1)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAHR-a, TER-a  [key]
ame Teamhair, which possibly means "elevated place" in Gaelic. This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. Tara was also used as the name of the O'Hara plantation in the movie 'Gone with the Wind'.
TARA (2)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "star" in Sanskrit. In Hindu and Buddhist mythology Tara was an astral goddess, the wife of Brihaspati.
WILLOW
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-o  [key]
Means simply "willow" from the name of the tree.
BUFFY
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BUF-ee  [key]
Pet form of ELIZABETH
XANDER
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Dutch
Short form of ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Hungarian
Pronounced: al-eg-ZAN-dur  [key]
From the Greek name Alexandros, which meant "defending men" from Greek alexein "to defend, help" and aner "man" (genitive andros). Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, is the most famous bearer of this name. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. This was also the name of emperors of Russia, kings of Scotland and Yugoslavia, and eight popes. Also, Sir Alexander MacKenzie was an explorer of the north and west of Canada in the 18th century.
ANYA (anyanka?)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Extra Info: Popularity, Related Names
Options: Contribute Information
Russian pet form of ANNA
DANIEL (Oz)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Jewish, French, German, Scandinavian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Biblical
Pronounced: DAN-yul (English), dan-YEL (French) Â [key]
From the Hebrew name Daniyel meaning "God is my judge". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world. Famous bearers of this name include English author Daniel Defoe, Swiss mathematician Daniel Bernoulli, and American frontiersman Daniel Boone.
DAWN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAWN Â [key]
Means simply "dawn" from the English word.
JOYCE
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JOIS Â [key]
From the (masculine) medieval name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Joceus or Jodocus, Latinized forms of the Breton name Jodoc meaning "lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint. This first name also formed the basis for a surname, as in the case of the novelist James Joyce.
JOSS
Gender: Feminine (that's interesting)
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAHS Â [key]
Short form of JOCELYN
JOCELYN
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAHS-lin, JAHS-u-lin  [key]
From a surname which was originally taken from the Norman French given name Joscelin, itself derived from the Germanic name Gautelen, which was derived from the name of a Germanic tribe, the Gauts.
WILLIAM
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-ee-am  [key]
From the Germanic name Wilhelm, which was composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". The name was introduced to Britain by the Normans. It has belonged to several rulers of England, Prussia, and Germany, including William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England. Another famous bearer was William Tell, a legendary 14th-century hero from Switzerland. In the literary world it has been borne by dramatist William Shakespeare and poet William Blake, as well as contemporary authors William Faulkner and William S. Burroughs.
SPIKE (I know, the railroad spike thing)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
From a nickname which may have originally been given to a person with spikey hair.
LIAM
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: LEE-am  [key]
Irish short form of WILLIAM (interesting, they were both "williams")
ANGEL
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
From the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word angelos meaning "messenger").
CORDELIA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: kor-DEL-ee-a, kor-DEL-ya  [key]
Meaning unknown, perhaps from a Celtic name meaning "daughter of the sea". This name was first used in this form by Shakespeare, who used it for one of the daughters of King Lear.
FAITH
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAYTH Â [key]
Simply means "faith" from the English word. This was one of the virtue names favoured by the Puritans.
RUPERT
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, English
Pronounced: ROO-purt (English) Â [key]
Low German form of ROBERT. The name was introduced to England by the military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I.
RILEY
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RIE-lee  [key]
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.
WESLEY
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WES-lee  [key]
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "west meadow" in Old English.
CHARLES
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: CHAHR-ulz (English), SHARL (French) Â [key]
From the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a Germanic word which meant "man". The most noteworthy bearer of this name was Charles the Great, commonly known as Charlemagne, a king of the Franks who came to rule over most of Europe. Several Holy Roman Emperors bore this name, as well as kings of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Hungary. Other famous bearers include naturalist Charles Darwin who revolutionized biology with his theory of evolution, and novelist Charles Dickens who wrote such works as 'Great Expectations' and 'A Tale of Two Cities'.
WINIFRED
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English
Pronounced: WIN-i-fred  [key]
Anglicized form of GWENFREWI
GWENFREWI
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen "white, fair, blessed" and frewi "reconciliation, peace". This was the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint and martyr.
LORNE (not the Pylean "Lorne", I know)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LORN Â [key]
Derived from the title 'Marquis of Lorne', which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, of unknown meaning. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene.
CONNOR
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KAHN-ur  [key]
From the Gaelic name Conchobhar which means "dog lover" or "wolf lover". This was the name of an early king of Ulster. Irish legends tell of his tragic desire for Deirdre.
DARLA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHR-la  [key]
Short form of DARLENE
DARLENE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: dar-LEEN Â [key]
From a combination of the English word darling and the popular name suffix lene.
HARMONY
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHR-mun-ee  [key]
Means simply "harmony, concord" from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek harmonia.
DOYLE
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
From the Gaelic surname à“ Dubhghaill, which means "descendent of Dubhghall". The name Dubhghall means "dark stranger" in Gaelic. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
LINDSAY
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: LINDZ-ee  [key]
From a Scottish surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "Lincoln's wetland" in Old English.
EVE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Biblical
Pronounced: EEV Â [key]
From the Hebrew name Chavvah, which was derived from the Hebrew word chavah "to breathe" or the related word chayah "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis Eve and Adam were the first humans. She gave the forbidden fruit to Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
DRUSILLA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: droo-SIL-a  [key]
Feminine pet form of the Roman family name Drusus. Apparently the name Drusus was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat. Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning "strong". In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla was the wife of Felix.
Lilah
girl's name of Greek/Persian origin, means: A lily or lilac; blue-colored flower.
Illyria
The origin of the Illyrian name appears to be tied up in Greek and Roman myth. The ancient writer, Apollodorus, records the Theban king, Cadmus, coming to the aid of the Encheleae who were at war with the Illyrians of the north. Cadmus conquers them and is named ruler by the Encheleae. His wife, Harmonia, bears him a son, Illyrius, who would also rule over the Illyrians, thus, are named after him. The Roman historian, Appian, has a different version. Appian tells the story of Poseiden's son, Polyphemus and his love for Galatia, a sea nymph. Galatia bears Polyphemus three sons - one of them being Illyrius who founded Illyria. However, mythical stories are not reliable especially when they are applied by outsiders such as the Greeks or Romans. Yet, the Apollodorian account contains the link of a theory that ties the Illyrian name with serpents. In the first myth noted above, Illyrius was supposedly empowered by a serpent. In addition, his parents, Cadmus and Harmonia, were punished by the Greek god Zeus for past grievances and forced to live out the rest of their days as serpents. In fact, the very tribe that Cadmus comes to aid, the Encheleae, were known as "eel men." Furthermore, the Illyrian name may have its roots in an ancient mythological serpent known to the Hittites (see Illyrian ties to the Hittites in the previous section) as "Ilurjanka."* More over, the root word in "Illyrian" means to wind or turn in the Greek language. What also must be mentioned is that many Illyrian artifacts reveal serpentine inscriptions as snakes were generally regarded as symbols of fertility. There can be little doubt of the connection between the Illyrian name and the serpent, but this aspect still remains only a theory and is not a satisfactory explanation when it comes to the Albanian account of the meaning of the Illyrian name. Albanian scholars and philologists alike contend that the meaning of the Illyrian name is understood in the Albanian interpretation of the Illyrians, "Iliret." The root in "Iliret" is "i lir" which simply means, "free." Thus, the meaning of "Iliret" is "freemen" and the meaning of Illyria (long before America came into existence) is "land of the free." To the Albanians, the latter makes complete sense as to the meaning of "Illyria" or "Illyrian," but for scholars the former cannot be ignored either.
TARA (1)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAHR-a, TER-a  [key]
ame Teamhair, which possibly means "elevated place" in Gaelic. This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. Tara was also used as the name of the O'Hara plantation in the movie 'Gone with the Wind'.
TARA (2)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "star" in Sanskrit. In Hindu and Buddhist mythology Tara was an astral goddess, the wife of Brihaspati.
WILLOW
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-o  [key]
Means simply "willow" from the name of the tree.
BUFFY
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BUF-ee  [key]
Pet form of ELIZABETH
XANDER
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Dutch
Short form of ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Hungarian
Pronounced: al-eg-ZAN-dur  [key]
From the Greek name Alexandros, which meant "defending men" from Greek alexein "to defend, help" and aner "man" (genitive andros). Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, is the most famous bearer of this name. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. This was also the name of emperors of Russia, kings of Scotland and Yugoslavia, and eight popes. Also, Sir Alexander MacKenzie was an explorer of the north and west of Canada in the 18th century.
ANYA (anyanka?)
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Extra Info: Popularity, Related Names
Options: Contribute Information
Russian pet form of ANNA
DANIEL (Oz)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Jewish, French, German, Scandinavian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Biblical
Pronounced: DAN-yul (English), dan-YEL (French) Â [key]
From the Hebrew name Daniyel meaning "God is my judge". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world. Famous bearers of this name include English author Daniel Defoe, Swiss mathematician Daniel Bernoulli, and American frontiersman Daniel Boone.
DAWN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAWN Â [key]
Means simply "dawn" from the English word.
JOYCE
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JOIS Â [key]
From the (masculine) medieval name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Joceus or Jodocus, Latinized forms of the Breton name Jodoc meaning "lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint. This first name also formed the basis for a surname, as in the case of the novelist James Joyce.
JOSS
Gender: Feminine (that's interesting)
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAHS Â [key]
Short form of JOCELYN
JOCELYN
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAHS-lin, JAHS-u-lin  [key]
From a surname which was originally taken from the Norman French given name Joscelin, itself derived from the Germanic name Gautelen, which was derived from the name of a Germanic tribe, the Gauts.
WILLIAM
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-ee-am  [key]
From the Germanic name Wilhelm, which was composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". The name was introduced to Britain by the Normans. It has belonged to several rulers of England, Prussia, and Germany, including William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England. Another famous bearer was William Tell, a legendary 14th-century hero from Switzerland. In the literary world it has been borne by dramatist William Shakespeare and poet William Blake, as well as contemporary authors William Faulkner and William S. Burroughs.
SPIKE (I know, the railroad spike thing)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
From a nickname which may have originally been given to a person with spikey hair.
LIAM
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: LEE-am  [key]
Irish short form of WILLIAM (interesting, they were both "williams")
ANGEL
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
From the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word angelos meaning "messenger").
CORDELIA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: kor-DEL-ee-a, kor-DEL-ya  [key]
Meaning unknown, perhaps from a Celtic name meaning "daughter of the sea". This name was first used in this form by Shakespeare, who used it for one of the daughters of King Lear.
FAITH
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAYTH Â [key]
Simply means "faith" from the English word. This was one of the virtue names favoured by the Puritans.
RUPERT
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, English
Pronounced: ROO-purt (English) Â [key]
Low German form of ROBERT. The name was introduced to England by the military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I.
RILEY
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RIE-lee  [key]
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.
WESLEY
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WES-lee  [key]
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "west meadow" in Old English.
CHARLES
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: CHAHR-ulz (English), SHARL (French) Â [key]
From the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a Germanic word which meant "man". The most noteworthy bearer of this name was Charles the Great, commonly known as Charlemagne, a king of the Franks who came to rule over most of Europe. Several Holy Roman Emperors bore this name, as well as kings of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Hungary. Other famous bearers include naturalist Charles Darwin who revolutionized biology with his theory of evolution, and novelist Charles Dickens who wrote such works as 'Great Expectations' and 'A Tale of Two Cities'.
WINIFRED
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English
Pronounced: WIN-i-fred  [key]
Anglicized form of GWENFREWI
GWENFREWI
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen "white, fair, blessed" and frewi "reconciliation, peace". This was the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint and martyr.
LORNE (not the Pylean "Lorne", I know)
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LORN Â [key]
Derived from the title 'Marquis of Lorne', which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, of unknown meaning. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene.
CONNOR
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KAHN-ur  [key]
From the Gaelic name Conchobhar which means "dog lover" or "wolf lover". This was the name of an early king of Ulster. Irish legends tell of his tragic desire for Deirdre.
DARLA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHR-la  [key]
Short form of DARLENE
DARLENE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: dar-LEEN Â [key]
From a combination of the English word darling and the popular name suffix lene.
HARMONY
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHR-mun-ee  [key]
Means simply "harmony, concord" from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek harmonia.
DOYLE
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
From the Gaelic surname à“ Dubhghaill, which means "descendent of Dubhghall". The name Dubhghall means "dark stranger" in Gaelic. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
LINDSAY
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: LINDZ-ee  [key]
From a Scottish surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "Lincoln's wetland" in Old English.
EVE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Biblical
Pronounced: EEV Â [key]
From the Hebrew name Chavvah, which was derived from the Hebrew word chavah "to breathe" or the related word chayah "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis Eve and Adam were the first humans. She gave the forbidden fruit to Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
DRUSILLA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: droo-SIL-a  [key]
Feminine pet form of the Roman family name Drusus. Apparently the name Drusus was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat. Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning "strong". In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla was the wife of Felix.
Lilah
girl's name of Greek/Persian origin, means: A lily or lilac; blue-colored flower.
Illyria
The origin of the Illyrian name appears to be tied up in Greek and Roman myth. The ancient writer, Apollodorus, records the Theban king, Cadmus, coming to the aid of the Encheleae who were at war with the Illyrians of the north. Cadmus conquers them and is named ruler by the Encheleae. His wife, Harmonia, bears him a son, Illyrius, who would also rule over the Illyrians, thus, are named after him. The Roman historian, Appian, has a different version. Appian tells the story of Poseiden's son, Polyphemus and his love for Galatia, a sea nymph. Galatia bears Polyphemus three sons - one of them being Illyrius who founded Illyria. However, mythical stories are not reliable especially when they are applied by outsiders such as the Greeks or Romans. Yet, the Apollodorian account contains the link of a theory that ties the Illyrian name with serpents. In the first myth noted above, Illyrius was supposedly empowered by a serpent. In addition, his parents, Cadmus and Harmonia, were punished by the Greek god Zeus for past grievances and forced to live out the rest of their days as serpents. In fact, the very tribe that Cadmus comes to aid, the Encheleae, were known as "eel men." Furthermore, the Illyrian name may have its roots in an ancient mythological serpent known to the Hittites (see Illyrian ties to the Hittites in the previous section) as "Ilurjanka."* More over, the root word in "Illyrian" means to wind or turn in the Greek language. What also must be mentioned is that many Illyrian artifacts reveal serpentine inscriptions as snakes were generally regarded as symbols of fertility. There can be little doubt of the connection between the Illyrian name and the serpent, but this aspect still remains only a theory and is not a satisfactory explanation when it comes to the Albanian account of the meaning of the Illyrian name. Albanian scholars and philologists alike contend that the meaning of the Illyrian name is understood in the Albanian interpretation of the Illyrians, "Iliret." The root in "Iliret" is "i lir" which simply means, "free." Thus, the meaning of "Iliret" is "freemen" and the meaning of Illyria (long before America came into existence) is "land of the free." To the Albanians, the latter makes complete sense as to the meaning of "Illyria" or "Illyrian," but for scholars the former cannot be ignored either.
nerd4hire
As Cartman would say - "Sweet"
D
doppelgänger2
cool
C
Croft Storm
really interesting post, thanks!
