Meanings Behind Baby Names

Meaning Behind Names

Baby name meaning and origin often influences how a parent names his or her child, so if you’re curious to find out the meaning behind names you are considering for your new bundle of joy, you’ll find over 150 of the most popular baby names in America today.

Aaron - From the Hebrew name Aharon, of unknown Egyptian origin. Perhaps also a Hebrew derivation meaning "high mountain" or "exalted." Aaron was Moses’ older brother in the Old Testament, and the first high priest of the Israelites.

Abigail - From the Hebrew name Avigayil meaning "my father is joy." This is Nabal’s wife’s name in the Old Testament whom, after he was killed, became the third wife of King David.

Adair - From a Scottish surname which in turn was derived from the first name Edgar.

Adam - The Hebrew word for "man." Also possibly derived from the Hebrew 'adam meaning "to be red," referring to the reddish color of human skin, or from the Assyrian adamu meaning "to make."

Adrian - From the name Hadrianus and from the Roman surname Hadrianus, which indicated someone "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria, a town in northern Italy, gave its name to the Adriatic Sea.

Aidan – Anglicized form of the Irish name Aodhán derived from the old Irish name Áedán, a pet form of Áed.

Alexander/Alexandra - From the Greek name Alexandros which means "defending men" derived from Greek alexo "to defend, help" and aner "man".

Alexis - From the Greek name Alexios which means "helper" or "defender," derived from Greek alexo "to defend, to help".

Alison – Short form Alice, and short form of the Old French Adelais, itself a short form of Adalheidis, the modern Adelaide. Alyssa is a common variant.

Amanda – An invented name, created in the 17th century by the playwright Colley Cibber. He based it on the Latin amanda meaning "lovable."

Amelia – This name has two possible origins; from either Amalia, a latinized form of the Germanic name Amal (meaning "work") or from Emilia. Emilia is derived from the Roman family name Aemilius, which in turn sprung from the Latin aemulus meaning "rival."

Andrew - From the Greek name Andreas, derived from the Greek aner meaning "man." 

Angelina – A pet form of the name Angela derived from the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus . Its root is in the Greek word angelos which means “messenger.” 

Anna – (see also Hannah). This is the latinate form of the Hebrew name Channah which meant "favor" or "grace." Hannah was the mother of Samuel, the prophet in the Old Testament. The name also appears briefly in the New Testament as that of a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah.

Anthony - From the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin.

Arianna - Means "most holy," and is composed of the Cretan Greek elements ari meaning "most" and adnos meaning "holy." In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, only to be abandoned by him.

Ashley – Derived from an English surname which originally sprang from a place name signifying an "ash tree clearing" in Old English. Prior to the 1960s, Ashley was more commonly a boy’s name whereas today it is predominantly given to girls.

Audrey - From the Old English elements meaning “noble" and "strength," Audrey was also a 6th-century saint who was killed by a tumor on her neck. Shakespeare also named one of his characters in the comedy 'As You Like It.'

Austin - From a surname which is in essence a contraction of the longer name Augustine. A city in Texas bears this name.

Autumn – A popular girl’s name in modern times, it simply signifies autumn from the name of the season, derived from autumnus in Latin.

Ava - From the Hebrew name Chavvah. The Hebrew word chavah "to breathe" or the related word chayah "to live" is related. In Persian, the name is related to either the words for "sound" or "water."

Benjamin - From the Hebrew name Binyamin which means "son of the south" or "son of the right hand." The Old Testament tells the story of Benjamin, the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews.

Blake - Of Old English origins, from a surname derived from the word blaec “black” or a related Old English word meaning “pale.”

Brandon - From a surname derived from a place name that indicated a "hill covered with broom" in Old English. It is sometimes also used as a variation of Brendan.

Brian - Possibly related to the Old Celtic bre meaning "hill" or, by extension, "high, noble." Of historic significance is the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted the Vikings’ attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was victorious in the Battle of Clontarf, but was ultimately slain.

Brianna - (see Brian)

Brooke – From an English surname denoting someone who lived near a brook.

Caleb - Means "dog" in Hebrew. Caleb is the name of one of the twelve spies described in the Old Testament as having been sent by Moses into Israel. Of all the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the promised land.

Cameron - From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked nose" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and sròn "nose." The Camerons were one of the great Scottish Highland clans.

Carter - From a surname which meant "one who uses a cart" in Middle English.

Caroline - (see Charles)

Charles - The Germanic name Karl, derived from a Germanic word meaning "man," is a possible source of this name. However, alternative theories have been postulated, one of which assumes that the name is derived from the common Germanic heri meaning "army, warrior."

Chase - From a surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Old French, originally used during sport as a nickname for a huntsman.

Chloe – A springtime name signifying "green shoot" in Greek, often used to refer to the Greek goddess Demeter. Paul also mentions the name in one of his epistles in the New Testament.

Christian - From a medieval Latin name used to indicate Christians, the followers of Christ. In medieval England this was also used as a feminine name.

Christopher - Means "bearing Christ," derived from Late Greek Christos combined with phero "to bear, to carry." Christopher was the legendary saint who carried the young Jesus across a river and is typically referred to as the patron saint of travellers.

Claire - Medieval name derived from Latin clarus "clear, bright, famous." History tells of Saint Clare, a devout follower of Saint Francis of Assisi born of a wealthy family, who left her riches to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. Also, Clare was the name of an Irish county named for the Norman invader Richard de Clare (commonly known by his nickname Strongbow), whose surname is derived from an English river.

Cody - From the Gaelic surname Mac Óda, which means "son of Otto."

Cole - From a surname meaning "black" in Old English.

Colin - Medieval pet form of Nicholas.

Connor - From the Gaelic name Conchobhar which means "dog lover" or "wolf lover." Connor was the name of an early king of Ulster who lives on in Irish legends that tell of his tragic desire for Deirdre.

Daniel - From the Hebrew name Daniyyel 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 of Daniel also presents his four visions of the end of the world.

David – This name may be derived from the Hebrew dvd meaning "beloved." David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. Jesus was supposedly a descendant of David.

Destiny - Means simply "destiny, fate" from the English word, which is ultimately from the Latin verb destinare "to determine," a derivative of stare "to stand."

Diana - Probably of old Indo-European roots meaning "heavenly, divine," and related to dyeus (Zeus). In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is often identified with the goddess Artemis.

Dominic - From the late Latin name Dominicus meaning "of the Lord." Traditionally, this name was given to children born on Sunday. The 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars, himself a saint, bore this name.

Dylan - From the Welsh elements dy "great" and llanw "sea." In Welsh mythology, Dylan was a god of the sea, the son of Aranrhod. He was accidentally slain by his uncle Govannon.

Edward – Means “rich guard,” derived from the Old English elements ead “rich, blessed” and weard “guard.”

Elijah – This name is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyyahu meaning "my God is Yahweh." Elijah was a Hebrew prophet of the 9th century BC, during the reign of King Ahab and his queen, Jezebel. The two Books of Kings in the Old Testament tell of his adventures, the culmination of which has him being carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Elizabeth - From Elisabet, the Greek form of the Hebrew name 'Elisheva'  meaning "my God is an oath" or perhaps "my God is abundance." In the Old Testament, Elisheba is Aaron’s wife. In the New Testament, Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.

Ella -  Related to the name Helen, and derived from the Greek Helene, probably from the Greek word for "torch" or possibly from selene "moon." In Greek mythology, Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War.

Emma – A popular name in modern times, this name is derived from the Germanic ermen meaning "whole" or "universal."

Ethan - Means "solid, enduring" in Hebrew. A wise man in the Old Testament bears this name.

Evan - Anglicized form of Iefan, a Welsh form of John. It can also be used as a short form of the name Evangelos.

Evelyn – Derived from the name Aveline, an Old French pet form of Avila, Evelyn is itself a pet form of the Germanic name Ava. This name was brought into Britain by the Normans.

Faith - Simply means "faith" from the English word, ultimately from Latin fidere, "to trust." The Puritans favored this name as one of the virtue names, thus contributing to its popularity.

Gabriel - From the Hebrew name Gavri'el which signifies "strong man of God." In Hebrew tradition, Gabriel is one of the seven archangels. Appearing in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, Gabriel serves as the herald of the births of John to Zechariah and of Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition, he was the angel who dictated the Koran to Mohammad.

Gabrielle - (see Gabriel)

Gavin – A late medieval form of Gawain, possibly from the Welsh name Gwalchgwyn which signifies a "white hawk." Sir Gawain was one of the knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legends. The 14th-century romantic poem 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' tells of Gawain’s prowess in battle, beheading the Green Knight in individual combat.

Grace – Coming from the English word "grace," the name is ultimately derived from the Latin gratia.

Hailey – Derived from an English surname. The surname was in turn derived from the name of a town in England, a town near a "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing."

Hannah - (see Anna)

Hayden – Taken from a surname meaning "hay valley," which was the compounded Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley."

Hope - Meaning simply "hope" from the English word, the origins are in the Old English hopian. This name was first popularized by the Puritans.

Hunter - From an occupational surname meaning "hunter" in Old English.

Isaac - From the Hebrew name Yitzchaq which meant "he laughs." In the Old Testament, Isaac was the son of Abraham and the father of both Jacob and Esau.

Isabella - (see Elizabeth) Latinate form of Elizabeth.

Jack - Derived from Jackin (and previously, Jankin), a medieval pet form of John.

Jacob - From the Latin Jacobus, which was in turn derived from the Greek Iakobos, which was further derived from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov. In the Old Testament, Jacob, who was later called Israel, is the root of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes. It was told that Isaac was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name in fact means "holder of the heel." Some believe that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like Ya'aqov'el meaning "may God protect."

Jade - Simply refers to the stone of the same name, one that is often used in carvings. It is probably derived from the Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) colic." It was commonly believed that jade could cure colic.

James – The English form of the late Latin Jacomus, which was derived from the Greek Iakobos, and the form of Ya'aqov (modern Jacob) present in the New Testament. This is the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, brother of the apostle John, who was later beheaded by Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second apostle was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.

Jasmine - From the Persian Yasmin, the name of a climbing plant with fragrant flowers which is used for making perfumes.

Jason - From the Greek name Iason, which was derived from the Greek iasthai "to heal." In Greek legend, Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. He went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back his kingdom from his uncle Pelias. In between adventures, he married the sorceress Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle. When he fell in love with another woman, Medea turned against him. Jason is also used in Acts in the New Testament as a translation of the Hebrew name Joshua.

Jennifer - From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (modern Guinevere).

Jeremiah – Taken from the Hebrew name Yirmiyahu which meant "Yahweh has uplifted."  One of the major Old Testament prophets who bore this name was author of the Book of Jeremiah and (it is commonly believed) the Book of Lamentations. He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.

Jesse - From the Hebrew name Yishay  which possibly meant "gift." Jesse was the father of King David in the Old Testament.

Jessica - Shakespeare used this name in his play The Merchant of Venice, for the daughter of Shylock. It is most likely based on the biblical name Yiskah. The Hebrew biblical name of a minor character in Genesis, meant "Yahweh beholds." Jessica is sometimes used as a feminine form of Jesse.

Jocelyn – Derived from a surname originally taken from the Norman French name Joscelin, itself derived from the Germanic name Gautelen, which was the name of a Germanic tribe, the Gauts.

John – The English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ioannes, which was derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan which meant "Yahweh is gracious." This name’s consistent popularity is due to two New Testament characters, both of whom were highly revered saints. John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod Antipas and the apostle John was supposedly the author of the fourth Gospel and Revelation.

Jordan – Taken from the name of a river flowing between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is Yarden, and it is derived from yarad meaning to "descend" or "flow down." John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the river Jordan, and it became popular as a personal name after crusaders brought back water from the river with which to baptize their children.

Joseph - From the Latin Iosephus, derived from the Greek Iosephos, which in turn came from the Hebrew name Yosef meaning "he will add." In the Old Testament, Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob. Since he was his father’s favorite son, his jealous older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became one of the pharaoh’s advisors and eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. In the New Testament, Joseph was Mary’s husband and then there was Joseph of Arimathea.

Joshua - From the Hebrew name Yehoshu'a which meant "Yahweh is salvation." In the Old Testament, Moses sent Joshua into Canaan as one of twelve spies. After Moses died, Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites. The name Jesus is derived from this name.

Julia – The latinate feminine form of Julius, from a Roman family name possibly derived from Greek ioulos "downy-bearded." It could also be related to the Roman god Jupiter. The Roman family that bore this name was a prominent patrician family who claimed to descend from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. The most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, ruler of the Roman Republic and skillful military leader who adeptly increased the borders of the Republic into Gaul before being stabbed to death in the senate. Popes, saints and martyrs have all borne this name as well as a character in Shakespeare’s comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Justin - From the Roman name Justinus, which was derived from the Roman family name Justus meaning “just” in Latin. This name belonged to several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher beheaded in Rome in the 2nd century.

Kaitlyn - (variant of Katherine)

Katherine - From the Greek name Aikaterine but of debatable etymology. It could possibly be derived from the earlier Greek name Hekaterine, which sprang from hekateros and signified "each of the two." Alternatively, it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate or it could be related to the Greek word aikia meaning "torture." Finally, it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name." The Romans associated this name with the Greek word katharos or "pure" and changed their spelling from Katerina to Katharina to reflect the association. This name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on the famous Catherine wheel and to Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic and saint.

Kayla - Yiddish form of the feminine name Kelila which means "crown of laurel" in Hebrew. Possibly also related to Katherine.

Kevin – This anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín is derived from the older Irish Coemgen, which was composed of the Old Irish words coem "kind, gentle, handsome" and gein "birth." Saint Caoimhín, the patron saint of Dublin, also established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland, in the 6th century.

Kimberly - From the name of a city in South Africa originally named for Lord Kimberley, it is ultimately derived from a surname meaning "land belonging to Cyneburga" in Old English. Cyneburga means "royal fortress" from the Old English words cyne "royal" and burg "fortress." Saint Cyneburga, the daughter of the king of Mercia, founded an abbey in Gloucester in the 7th century.

Landon - From a surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "long hill" and thus signifying a ridge, also.

Lauren – This feminine form of Laurence was derived from the Roman family name Laurentius, which meant "of Laurentum." Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably derived from the Latin word laurus or "laurel." Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century Roman deacon and martyr. It is told that he was roasted alive on a gridiron because when he was ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the poor and sickly.

Leah - From the Hebrew name Le'ah and from the Hebrew word le'ah meaning "weary." It could also mean either “ruler” or "mistress" in Assyrian. In the Old Testament, Leah was the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children.

Lily – Indicating simply the flower "lily," which is a flower symbolic of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium.

Logan - From a surname originating from a Scottish place name that meant "little hollow" in Scottish Gaelic.

Luke - From the Greek name Loukas which indicated someone "from Lucania." Historically, Lucania was one of the Italian regions. Saint Luke was the author of the third Gospel and Acts in the New Testament and was also a doctor who accompanied Saint Paul on his travels.

Mackenzie - From the Gaelic surname Mac Coinnich, which means "son of Coinneach." Coinneach is an Irish name that means "handsome."

Madison - From an English surname meaning "son of Maud."

Makayla – The feminine form of Michael, also a variant of Michaela.

Maria – The traditional English form of Maria is the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Mariam or Maria, from the Hebrew name Miryam. The exact meaning is not known for certain, but several theories include “wished for children,” "sea of bitterness," and "rebelliousness."  The most likely theory is that of an Egyptian origin, perhaps as a derivation of mry "beloved" or mr "love." Several New Testament characters bear this name, most significantly Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene.

Mariah - Variant of Maria.

Marissa - Elaborated variant of Maria.

Mason - From an Old French surname meaning "stoneworker," ultimately derived from the Germanic and similar to the Old English macian "to make."

Matthew – The English form of Matthaios was originally a Greek form of the Hebrew name Mattityahu which meant "gift of Yahweh." Saint Matthew, also called Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. It is said that he authored the first Gospel in the New Testament.

Maya - Means "illusion" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition, Buddha’s mother, Siddhartha Gautama bears this name. This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga. The name is also derived from the Hebrew word mayim "water".

Megan – The welsh pet form of Margaret, Megan is derived from the Latin Margarita, which in turn is derived from the Greek margarites  meaning "pearl," probably borrowed from Sanskrit. Saint Margaret, the patron saint of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century.

Melanie - From the Greek word melaina meaning "black, dark.” In the 5th century, a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity bore this name.

Melissa - Meaning "bee" in Greek, this was the name of a nymph that cared for young Zeus in Greek mythology. It is also the name of the fairy who helps Rogero escape from the witch Alcina in Ludovico Ariosto's poem Orlando Furioso.

Mia - Danish and Swedish pet form of Maria.

Michael - From the Hebrew name Mika'el which meant "who is like God." One of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition bears this name. It is the name of the only one of these archangels identified as such in the Bible. In the New Testament Book of Revelation, the archangel Michael is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies; thus he is considered the patron saint of soldiers.

Michelle – In French, the feminine form of Michael.

Morgan - From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from the Welsh words mor "sea" and cant "circle." In its feminine form it was given by Geoffrey of Monmouth to the sorceress Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend.

Natalie - From the late Latin name Natalia, which indicated "Christmas Day" derived from the Latin natale domini.

Nathan - Means "giver" in Hebrew and in the Old Testament it is the name of both a prophet and a son of King David. It can also serve as an abbreviated version of the names Jonathan or Nathanael.

Nicholas - From the Greek name Nikolaos which meant "victory of the people," this name is composed of two Greek elements: nike meaning "victory" and laos meaning "people." Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia, saved a poor man’s daughters from lives of prostitution. This name is also associated with Santa Claus (from the Dutch Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents to children. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of both Russia and Greece, as well as children, sailors and merchants.

Noah - Derived from the Hebrew name Noach meaning "rest, comfort." In the Old Testament, Noah was the legendary builder of the ark, a magnificent vessel which allowed him, his family, and two animals of each species to survive the Great Flood.

Olivia – A Norman French form of a Germanic name, Olivia may possibly spring from the name Alfihar meaning "elf army." The spelling was altered due to association with the Latin word oliva  meaning "olive tree." Shakespeare gave the name to a character in his comedy Twelfth Night and may have based it on the name Oliver or on the Latin meaning of olive tree. In the play, Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino but instead of falling in love with him, she falls in love with his messenger, Cesario.

Owen – Several theories surround the origin of this name. It may be a Welsh form of Eugene or it could be derived from either of the Welsh elements oen meaning "lamb" or eoghunn "youth." It may even be related to Esos, a Celtic god. In Arthurian legend, Owain (also known as Yvain) was one of the knights of the Round Table. He was King Urien’s son and the slayer of the Knight of the Fountain.

Peter – This name is derived from the Greek petros meaning "stone." In most versions of the New Testament, it is the translation of the name Cephas (which means "stone" in Aramaic). Jesus gave this name to the apostle Simon, the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus's ministry. Simon Peter is considered by some to have been the first pope.

Rachel - Means "ewe" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, she was the favorite wife of Jacob and mother to both Joseph and Benjamin.

Rebecca - From the Hebrew name Rivqah which possibly meant "a snare," it may also be derived from an Aramaic name. This was the name of Isaac’s wife as well as that of the mother of both Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament.

Richard – Meaning "brave power," this name is derived from the Germanic elements ric "power, rule" and hard  meaning "brave, hardy." This name was introduced into Britain by the Normans.

Riley - From a surname originally derived from a place name signifying a "rye clearing" in Old English.

Robert - Meaning "bright fame," this name is derived from the Germanic elements hrod "fame" and beraht "bright." This name was introduced to Britain by the Normans. Three kings of Scotland bore this name, including Robert the Bruce who regained Scottish independence from England in the 14th century.

Ryan – Taken from an Irish surname derived from Ó Riain which indicated a "descendent of Rian." The given name Rian most likely means "little king" from the Irish rí "king" and a diminutive suffix).

Samantha - Perhaps intended as a feminine form of Samuel by adding the popular name suffix antha, it is sometimes thought to mean "listener" in Aramaic. It is also possibly from the Hebrew name Shemu'el which meaning either "name of God" or "God has heard.” Samuel was the last of the ruling judges in the Old Testament. He anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, and later anointed David.

Sarah - Meaning “princess” or "lady" in Hebrew, this was the name of Abraham’s wife in the Old Testament. At the age of 90, she became the mother of Isaac. Originally her name was Saray, but God changed it in the Book of Genesis.

Savannah - Meaning simply "savannah" from the English word for the large grassy plain, this name is ultimately derived from the Taino Native American word zabana.

Seth – In Hebrew, this name means "placed" or "appointed.” The name is derived from Sethos, the Greek variation of the Egyptian Sutekh or Set, which possibly meant "pillar" or "dazzle." Set was also the evil Egyptian god of chaos and the desert who is credited with slaying Osiris. Osiris' son Horus eventually defeats Set and banishes him to the desert. In the Old Testament, Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve and the forefather of the human race.

Sophia - Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, possibly mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred.

Stephanie - Feminine form of Stephen.

Stephen - From the Greek name Stephanos meaning "crown." Acts in the New Testament tells of Saint Stephen, an early Christian martyr who was stoned to death. Another Saint Stephen is the patron saint of Hungary, the first Christian king of that country who lived during the 10th century.

Sydney - A city in Australia bears this name. It is either from a contracted form of Saint Denis (a French place name) or from an Old English surname which meant "wide island."

Taylor - Derived from the Middle English taillour meaning “tailor” or "cutter of cloth." Originally this was an occupational surname denoting a tailor.

Timothy – An Americanization of the Greek name Timotheos meaning "honouring God," which was derived from timao "to honour" and theos "god." Saint Timothy was one of Paul’s companions during the latter’s missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles featured in the New Testament. It is told that he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of Artemis.

Thomas – Derived from the Greek form of the Aramaic name Te'oma which meant "twin." In the New Testament, the apostle Thomas doubts the resurrected Jesus. It is told that he was martyred in India.

Trinity – A name derived from the English word trinity, used to symbolize the Christian belief that God appears in one of three states of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Tristan - From the Celtic name Drystan, which was probably derived from drest meaning "riot" or "tumult". It is sometimes associated with Latin tristis meaning "sad." In Celtic legend, Tristan was sent to Ireland in order to fetch Isolde, the future bride of King Mark of Cornwall. Instead, Tristan and Isolde wind up falling in love.

Tyler - From an occupational surname meaning "tiler of roofs" in Old English.

Valerie - Feminine form of the Latin name Valerius, a Roman family name derived from the Latin valere "to be strong." Several early saints bore this name.

Vanessa – An invented name created by author Jonathan Swift. He essentially rearranged the initial syllables of the first and last name of his close friend Esther Vanhomrigh. Vanessa later became the name of a genus of butterfly.

Victoria - Meaning "victory" in Latin, since Victoria was the Roman goddess of victory.

William - 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.

Xavier - Derived from the Basque place name Etxabier meaning "the new house."

Zachary – Taken from the Hebrew name Zekaryah which meant “ Yahweh remembers." Zechariah was a minor prophet of the Old Testament and author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also belongs to John the Baptist’s father in the New Testament.
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5/23/2007 1:52:43 PM