Names by Origin

Names carry their language with them. Explore first names and surnames by culture, with what each name means and where it comes from.

Madalena Lopes
Madalena: woman from Magdala. Lopes: son of Lopo.
GirlPortuguese
Manami Takanashi
Manami: love and beauty (depends on characters). Takanashi: written 小鳥遊, little birds play: read as no hawks.
GirlJapanese
Erol Arslan
Erol: brave. Arslan: means lion in Turkish.
BoyTurkish
Ivo Schumacher
Ivo: yew. Schumacher: occupational name for a shoemaker.
BoyGerman
Reham Khayat
Reham: fine rain, drizzle. Khayat: occupational name for a tailor.
GirlArabic
Octavio Ramos
Octavio: eighth. Ramos: branches, often linked to Palm Sunday processions.
BoySpanish
Ksenia Fyodorova
Ksenia: hospitality, from Greek xenia. Fyodorova: the woman's form of Fyodorov, son of Fyodor, Theodore, gift of God.
GirlRussian
Woodrow Ryder
Woodrow: row of houses by a wood. Ryder: Middle English ridere, a mounted warrior or messenger.
BoyEnglish
Dawn Gray
Dawn: daybreak. Gray: nickname for a person with silver or ashen hair.
GirlEnglish
Vladimir Volkonsky
Vladimir: great ruler. Volkonsky: princely family named for the Volkona River.
BoyRussianFalling
Thorfinn Pedersen
Thorfinn: Thor and Finn. Pedersen: son of Peder.
BoyScandinavian
Utz Köhler
Utz: heritage and power. Köhler: occupational name for a charcoal burner.
BoyGerman

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By origin generators

All 43 by origin lists, A to Z

First names by origin

A sample from each culture in our database. Use the generator above, or search, to filter by culture and gender.

English names
1554 in our database
- Wren: small songbird
- Zadok: righteous
- Algernon: having a mustache
- Lark: early-rising songbird
- Ramona: counsel protector
- August: exalted, venerable
- Basemath: fragrance
- Eden: possibly delight, pleasure
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Irish names
341 in our database
- Sadhbh: sweet
- Caomhán: little gentle one
- Fiadh: wild, deer
- Rory: red king
- Roibeárd: bright fame
- Peig: pearl
- Aoibhín: little beauty
- Fergus: man of vigor
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Scottish names
307 in our database
- Kenzie: son of the handsome one
- Brìde: exalted one
- Tasgall: god's cauldron
- Tam: a twin
- Roderick: famous ruler
- Ishbel: God is my oath
- James: supplanter, holder of the heel
- Malvina: smooth brow
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Welsh names
105 in our database
- Davey: beloved
- Seren: a star
- Dewi: beloved one
- Bryn: a hill
- Hywel: eminent, conspicuous
- Olwen: white footprint
- Eirian: bright, beautiful
- Tudur: king of the people
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French names
471 in our database
- Hugo: heart, mind
- Lucille: light
- Balthild: bold battle
- Mireille: to admire
- Loup: wolf
- Ozias: my power is Yahweh
- Martin: dedicated to Mars
- Ariane: most holy
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German names
553 in our database
- Daniel: God is my judge
- Erich: eternal ruler
- Ingeborg: Ing's protection
- Gerd: brave spear
- Uschi: little bear
- Anna: favor, grace
- Nicole: victory of the people
- Beate: blessed, happy
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Italian names
408 in our database
- Samantha: perhaps a feminine form of Samuel with the suffix antha
- Emma: whole, universal
- Marcella: of Mars
- Berta: bright, famous
- Mafalda: strength in battle
- Luisa: famous warrior
- Liliana: Latinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily
- Vittoria: victory, triumph
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Spanish names
876 in our database
- Iván: God is gracious
- Antiman: condor of the sun
- Ignacio: from the Roman family name Egnatius
- Librada: freed, delivered
- Gamaliel: my reward is God
- Rodrigo: famous ruler
- Elian: variant of names beginning with Eli, such as Elijah
- Cielo: sky, heaven
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Portuguese names
230 in our database
- Rodrigo: famous ruler
- Ricarda: brave ruler
- João: God is gracious
- Nathália: Christmas Day
- Serafina: fiery ones
- Sofia: wisdom, skill
- Sebastião: venerable
- Carina: dear, beloved
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Dutch names
161 in our database
- Hugo: heart, mind
- Baldwin: bold friend
- Liam: short for William, will helmet
- Liesbeth: Dutch form of Elisabeth
- Arno: eagle
- Finn: fair, white
- Renate: born again
- Filip: lover of horses
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Scandinavian names
369 in our database
- Cecilia: blind
- Mikael: who is like God?
- Ingolf: Ing's wolf
- Brita: diminutive of Birgitta, exalted one
- Magnar: strength and warrior
- Rolf: famous wolf
- Logi: flame, fire
- Thorleif: Thor's heir
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Russian names
256 in our database
- Yaroslava: fierce glory
- Olga: holy, blessed
- Valeriya: to be strong
- Borislav: battle glory
- Anya: short form of Anna, grace
- Matryona: lady, matron
- Dasha: short form of Darya, holding firm the good
- Eduard: rich guardian
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Polish names
164 in our database
- Dominik: belonging to the Lord
- Marek: of Mars
- Radosław: happy glory
- Nadzieja: hope
- Aleksandra: defender of the people
- Bożena: divine, of God
- Agata: good, from Greek agathos
- Nikodem: victory of the people
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Greek names
316 in our database
- Clio: glory
- Iris: a rainbow
- Maria: Greek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning
- Efthymia: in good spirits, cheerful
- Alcyone: kingfisher
- Hypatia: highest, supreme
- Sofia: wisdom, skill
- Panagiotis: all holy
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Hebrew names
428 in our database
- Meital: dew drop
- Shimon: he has heard
- Liora: my light
- Hadas: myrtle tree
- Rakefet: cyclamen
- Obadiah: servant of God
- Sheraga: light, candle
- Alona: oak tree
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Arabic names
347 in our database
- Fayza: victorious
- Rayyan: watered, luxuriant
- Amir: prince, commander
- Farah: joy, happiness
- Ghaith: rain
- Zayd: growth
- Muhammad: praised, praiseworthy
- Nashwa: elation
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Turkish names
266 in our database
- Hasan: handsome, good
- Nermin: soft, gentle
- Cansu: soul, water
- Nisa: women
- Feride: unique, precious
- Ayşe: alive, living
- Umut: hope, expectation
- Şan: fame, glory
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Persian names
214 in our database
- Mahtab: light of the moon
- Bakhtiar: lucky, fortunate
- Shahnaz: delight of the king
- Iraj: Iranian
- Parvaneh: a butterfly
- Keyvan: Saturn
- Majid: glorious, noble
- Ghoncheh: flower bud
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Indian names
366 in our database
- Sahil: coast, shore
- Vijaya: victory
- Ram: pleasing, charming
- Shiva: auspicious, benevolent
- Suraj: sun
- Lakshman: having lucky marks
- Shama: lamp, candle
- Irfan: knowledge, awareness
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Japanese names
390 in our database
- Makoto: sincerity, truth
- Kurumi: walnut
- Hitomi: pupil of the eye
- Yukimura: happy village
- Sakura: cherry blossom
- Ryo: cool, refreshing; good (depends on characters)
- Nobunaga: trust and long
- Hoshi: a star, written 星
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Chinese names
83 in our database
- Hua: flower; magnificent (depends on characters)
- Tao: great waves (depends on characters)
- Xiang: to soar; auspicious (depends on characters)
- Chun: springtime (depends on characters)
- Liang: bright; good (depends on characters)
- Xiaoming: little bright one (depends on characters)
- Qian: pretty, charming (depends on characters)
- Xue: snow (depends on characters)
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Korean names
233 in our database
- Aram: ripe chestnuts, a native Korean word
- Siu: timely rain (depends on hanja)
- Dami: many and beautiful (depends on hanja)
- Jaehyeon: talented and virtuous (depends on hanja)
- Myeongsu: bright and outstanding (depends on hanja)
- Seongsu: accomplish and outstanding (depends on hanja)
- Haeun: summer grace (depends on characters)
- Bomi: beautiful treasure (depends on hanja)
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African names
274 in our database
- Rudo: love
- Lulit: from lul, pearl
- Ayabonga: they are thankful
- Chioma: good God
- Zuri: beautiful, good
- Ngozi: a blessing
- Chika: God is supreme
- Chukwuemeka: God has done great things
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Hawaiian names
134 in our database
- Manō: a shark
- Kilikina: follower of Christ
- Pilipo: lover of horses
- Kailani: sea and sky
- Nalu: wave, surf
- Kanani: the beauty
- Kēhau: dew, dewdrops
- Kaʻiulani: the royal sacred one
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Names by Origin: common questions

What does the origin of a name mean?

It is the language the name comes from. A name can come from one language (Hebrew for David) and be used in many cultures (English, French, Spanish).

Which cultures does Nomezo cover?

Our database covers 24 cultures, including English, Irish, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Scandinavian, Greek, Arabic, Persian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, African and Hawaiian names.

How do I find a name from a specific culture?

Use the random name generator and choose a culture, or search names and filter by culture. Full names pair a first name and a surname from the same culture.

Is it okay to use a name from another culture?

Yes, when you learn its meaning and pronunciation and use it respectfully. Check that the name is not sacred or reserved in its home culture.

Names by Origin

By origin generators

Most popular by origin lists

All 43 by origin lists, A to Z

First names by origin

English names

Irish names

Scottish names

Welsh names

French names

German names

Italian names

Spanish names

Portuguese names

Dutch names

Scandinavian names

Russian names

Polish names

Greek names

Hebrew names

Arabic names

Turkish names

Persian names

Indian names

Japanese names

Chinese names

Korean names

African names

Hawaiian names

Names by Origin: common questions

What does the origin of a name mean?

Which cultures does Nomezo cover?

How do I find a name from a specific culture?

Is it okay to use a name from another culture?

Every other kind of name