Armel m Breton, French Breton and French form of the Old Welsh name
Arthmail, which was composed of the elements
arth "bear" and
mael "prince, chieftain". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.
Arnold m English, German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic [1] From a Germanic name meaning
"eagle power", derived from the elements
arn "eagle" and
walt "power, authority"
[1] [2] [3] . The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Earnweald. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Arnulf m German, Germanic [1] Germanic name derived from the elements
arn meaning "eagle" and
wolf meaning "wolf"
[2] [3] . This name was borne by a few early saints, notably a 7th-century Frankish bishop of Metz. It was also the name of a 9th-century Holy Roman emperor.
Arsenios m Ancient Greek [1] Means
"virile" in Greek
[2] . Saint Arsenius was a 5th-century deacon who was tutor to the two sons of the Roman emperor Theodosius. The two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, divided the empire into eastern and western halves upon their father's death.
Asaph m Biblical Means
"collector" in Hebrew. This name belongs to several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Ascensión f Spanish Means
"ascension" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Ascension of
Jesus into heaven.
Audrey f English, French Medieval diminutive of
Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word
tawdry (which was derived from
St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century
[1] . A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Augustine 1 m English From the Roman name
Augustinus [1] [2] [3] , itself derived from the name
Augustus. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a 5th-century Christian theologian and author from North Africa. For his contributions to Christian philosophy he is known as a Doctor of the Church. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world. It became popular in England in the Middle Ages partly because of a second saint by this name, Augustine of Canterbury, a 6th-century Italian monk sent to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
Augustus m Ancient Roman, Dutch (Rare) Means
"exalted, venerable", derived from Latin
augeo meaning "to increase"
[1] . Augustus was the title given to
Octavian, the first Roman emperor
[2] . He was an adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name
Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (called
August in Polish).
Aurea f Ancient Roman [1] [2] Latin name that was derived from
aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Aurelius m Ancient Roman [1] Roman family name that was derived from Latin
aureus meaning
"golden, gilded" [2] . Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Ava 1 f English Variant of
Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.
Ava 3 f German, Germanic [1] Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
awi , of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.
Avelino m Spanish, Portuguese Used in honour of the 16th-century Italian saint Andrea Avellino (usually spelled
Avelino in Spanish and Portuguese). His surname is derived from the name of the town of Avellino in Campania, itself from Latin
Abellinum (of unknown meaning).
Avila f Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German element
awi , of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila,
Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Avilius m Ancient Roman Roman name of unknown meaning. Saint Avilius was a 1st-century patriarch of Alexandria.
Avitus m Ancient Roman [1] From a Roman cognomen that meant
"ancestral" in Latin. This was the name of an emperor who briefly reigned over the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It was also the name of several saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Vienne.
Azélie f French (Rare) Perhaps a form of
Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877), also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.
Babylas m Late Greek, French (Rare) Derived from the name of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon. Saint Babylas was a 3rd-century patriarch of Antioch who was martyred during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius.
Bademus m History (Ecclesiastical) Latinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.
Balthild f Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German elements
bald "bold, brave" and
hilt "battle"
[2] [3] . This was the name of a 7th-century saint, the wife of the Frankish king Clovis II. She was apparently an Anglo-Saxon, her original name being the Old English cognate
Bealdhild. She is also called
Bathilde .
Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Ancient Roman [1] [2] Derived from Latin
barbarus meaning
"foreign, savage, strange", originally from Greek
[3] [4] [5] . According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century. Barbe f French French form of
Barbara. In modern times it is usually only used in reference to the saint, while
Barbara is more common as a given name.
Bartholomew m English, Biblical English form of
Talmai" [1] . In the New Testament Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle, possibly the same person as the apostle Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages. Baruch m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew From the Hebrew name
בָּרוּך (Baruḵ) meaning
"blessed". In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Baudilio m Spanish From
Baudilius, a Latinized form of a possibly Frankish name formed of the element
bald "bold, brave". Saint Baudilius (or Baudilus) was a 3rd or 4th-century saint who was martyred at Nîmes in France.
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, Romanian Italian form of
Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the
Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy
Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and
Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late Roman Probably from
Viatrix, a feminine form of the Latin name
Viator meaning
"voyager, traveller" [1] [2] . It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin
beatus "blessed, happy"
[3] . Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of
Diocletian.
... [more] Beatus m Late Roman Masculine form of
Beata. According to legend, Saint Beatus was ordained a priest by Saint
Peter and evangelized in Switzerland. Another saint by this name was an 8th-century Asturian theologian.
Bede m History (Ecclesiastical) Modern form of the Old English name
Baeda, possibly related to Old English
bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
Begoña f Spanish, Basque From a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Begoña, meaning "Our Lady of Begoña", the patron saint of Biscay, Spain. Begoña is a district and basilica in the city of Bilbao.
Benedict m English From the Latin name
Benedictus, which meant
"blessed" [1] [2] , a derivative of
benedico "to speak well of, to commend"
[3] . Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Benigno m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Rare) Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Latin name
Benignus, which meant
"kind, friendly". This was the name of several saints including a 5th-century disciple of Saint
Patrick who later became the archbishop of Armagh.
Benito m Spanish, Italian Spanish contracted form of
Benedicto. This name was borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez (1806-1872). Benito Mussolini (1883-1945), the fascist dictator of Italy during World War II, was named after Juárez.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical From the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning
"son of the south" or
"son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south"
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see
Genesis 35:18).
... [more] Benno m German Short form of German names containing the element
bern "bear".
Benvenuto m Italian Means
"welcome" in Italian. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance sculptor and writer Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).
Berach m Old Irish [1] Derived from Old Irish
berach meaning
"sharp, pointed". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
Berenice f English, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized) Latinized form of
Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant
"bringing victory" from
phero) meaning "to bring" and
nike) meaning "victory"
[1] [2] [3] . This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled
Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name,
Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Bernadette f French, English, German, Dutch French feminine form of
Bernard. Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) was a young woman from Lourdes in France who claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin
Mary. She was declared a saint in 1933.
Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German element
bern "bear" combined with
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy"
[1] [2] . The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Beornheard [3] . This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976) and the French cyclist Bernard Hinault (1954-).
Bertha f German, English, Germanic [1] Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
berht , Old High German
beraht meaning
"bright" (Proto-Germanic *
berhtaz )
[1] [2] [3] [4] . This was the name of a few early saints, including a 6th-century Frankish princess who married and eventually converted King
Æþelbeorht of Kent. It was also borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century (also called
Bertrada), and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Bertram m English, German, Germanic [1] Means
"bright raven", derived from the Old German element
beraht "bright" combined with
hram "raven"
[2] [3] [4] [5] . This name has long been conflated with
Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play
All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Birgitta f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish Most likely a Scandinavian form of
Bridget via the Latinized form
Brigitta. Alternatively it could be a feminine derivative of
Birger. This is the name of the patron saint of Europe, Birgitta of Sweden, the 14th-century founder of the Bridgettine nuns. Her father's name was Birger.
Bláán m Old Irish From Old Irish
blá meaning
"yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blaine m English From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name
Bláán.
Blaise m French From the Latin name
Blasius, which was probably derived from the Roman cognomen
Blaesus [1] meaning
"lisping, stammering" [2] [3] . Saint Blaise was a 4th-century Armenian martyr. A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
Blanchard m Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German elements
blanc meaning "white" and
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy"
[2] [3] . This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blandine f French French form of the Roman name
Blandina, which was the feminine form of
Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen
Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.
Bodo m German, Germanic [1] Derived from the Old High German element
bot , Old Saxon
bod meaning
"command, order" (Proto-Germanic *
budą )
[2] [3] . Saint Bodo, also called Leudinus, was a 7th-century bishop of Toul in northern France.
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan Means
"good fortune" in Italian, from Latin
bonus "good" and
venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Bonitus m Late Roman Derived from a diminutive of Latin
bonus meaning
"good". This was the name of a 7th-century century saint, a bishop of Auvergne.
Boris m Bulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, German, French From a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as
Bogoris, perhaps meaning
"short" or
"wolf" or
"snow leopard" [1] . It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria, who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of
Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother
Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.
... [more] Brendan m Irish, English, Breton From
Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name
Bréanainn [1] , which was derived from Old Welsh
breenhin meaning
"king, prince" [2] . Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.
Brice m French, English From the name
Bricius, which was probably a Latinized form of a Gaulish name meaning
"speckled". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Martin of Tours.
Bridget f Irish, English Anglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid, Old Irish
Brigit, from old Celtic *
Brigantī meaning
"the exalted one" [1] [2] [3] . In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god the
Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century
[4] . In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
Brogán m Irish (Rare) From the Old Irish name
Broccán, derived from
bróc "shoe, sandal, greave" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several Irish saints, including Saint
Patrick's scribe.
Brónach f Irish Means
"sad", derived from Irish
brón meaning "sorrow". Saint Brónach was a 6th-century Irish mystic.
Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German element
brunna meaning
"armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *
brunjǭ ) or
brun meaning
"brown" (Proto-Germanic *
brūnaz )
[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] . Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.
Burkhard m German, Germanic [1] Derived from the Old German elements
burg "fortress" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy"
[2] [3] [4] , or perhaps from the Old English cognate
Burgheard. Saint Burkhard was an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (a companion of
Boniface) who became the first bishop of Würzburg.
Cadfan m Old Welsh [1] From an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as
Catamanus, meaning
"battle peak" from
cat "battle" and
bann "peak". Saint Cadfan, from Brittany, was a 6th-century missionary to Wales.
Cadoc m Old Welsh [1] From an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as
Catocus, derived from
cat meaning
"battle". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who was martyred by the Saxons.
Cadwaladr m Welsh From Old Welsh
Catgualatr (also recorded in many other spellings) meaning
"leader of the battle", from
cat "battle" and
gwaladr "leader". This was the name of a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he was the last king of all of the Britons. This name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh saint.
Caedmon m History (Ecclesiastical) Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic
kad meaning "battle". Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the 8th-century writings of the historian Bede.
Caesar m Ancient Roman [1] From a Roman cognomen that possibly meant
"hairy", from Latin
caesaries "hair"
[2] . Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC.
Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.
Calixtus m Late Roman Variant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Calogero m Italian From the Late Latin name
Calogerus meaning
"beautiful elder", from Greek
kalos) meaning "beautiful" and
geron) meaning "old man, elder". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a hermit of Sicily.
Camillus m Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen
[1] [2] , which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin
camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
Candida f Ancient Roman [1] , English Latin name derived from
candidus meaning
"white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint
Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play
Candida (1898).
Caoilfhionn f Irish Derived from the Old Irish elements
cáel "slender" and
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Caomhán m Irish (Rare) From Old Irish
Cóemán, derived from
cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints.
Caridad f Spanish Means
"charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Ancient Roman [1] [2] Latin name derived from
carus meaning
"dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of
Jason's ship the Argo.
Carthach m Old Irish [1] Means
"loving" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish saints, from the 6th and 7th centuries.
Casilda f Spanish Meaning uncertain. This is the name of the 11th-century patron saint of Toledo, Spain. It might have an Arabic origin (Saint Casilda was a Moorish princess), perhaps from
قصيدة (qaṣīda) meaning
"poem" [1] . Alternatively it could be derived from a Visigothic name in which the second element is
hilds meaning "battle".
Casimir m English, French English form of the Polish name
Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element
kaziti "to destroy" combined with
mirŭ "peace, world"
[1] [2] [3] [4] . Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.
Cassian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized) From the Roman cognomen
Cassianus [1] , which was derived from the family name
Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.
Cassius m Ancient Roman [1] Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin
cassus meaning
"empty, vain". Lucius Cassius Dio was a 3rd-century Roman historian. This name was also borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized) From the Greek name
κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning
"to excel, to shine" (pluperfect
κάστωρ (kastor) meaning
"beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of
Zeus and the twin brother of
Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Catellus m Late Roman Probably from Latin
catulus meaning
"young dog, puppy". Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.
Cathal m Irish, Old Irish [1] Derived from Old Irish
cath "battle" and
fal "rule". This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It was also borne by several Irish kings. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Charles .
Cathán m Old Irish Derived from Old Irish
cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Cathán was a 6th-century Irish monk, a missionary to the Isle of Bute.
Catherine f French, English French form of
Katherine, and also a common English variant
[1] . This is the usual English spelling for historical figures such as Catherine de' Medici and Catherine the Great.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name
Caecilius, which was derived from Latin
caecus meaning
"blind" [1] [2] [3] . Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.
... [more] Celestine f & m English English form of
Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form
Célestine.
Celsus m Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen meaning
"tall" in Latin
[2] . This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Chad m English From the Old English name
Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Old Welsh
cat "battle" [1] [2] . This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source (see
Chad).
Chantal f French, English, Dutch From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French
chant "song".
Charles m English, French French and English form of
Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name
Karl, which was derived from a word meaning
"man" (Proto-Germanic *
karlaz )
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *
harjaz meaning "army"
[6] [7] .
... [more] Chiara f Italian Italian form of
Clara. Saint Chiara (commonly called
Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Christina f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Greek From
Christiana, the Latin feminine form of
Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.
... [more] Christopher m English From the Late Greek name
Christ" [1] [2] [3] , derived from φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry" [4] . Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.... [more] Chrysostomos m Greek Means
"golden mouth", from Greek
chrysos) meaning "gold" and
stoma) meaning "mouth". This was an epithet applied to eloquent orators, notably Saint John Chrysostom, a 4th-century archbishop of Constantinople.
Cian m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1] Means
"ancient, enduring" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of the father of
Lugh Lámfada. It was also borne by the mythical ancestor of the Ciannachta and by a son-in-law of
Brian Boru.
Ciarán m Irish, Old Irish [1] Diminutive of
Ciar [2] . This was the name of two 6th-century Irish saints: Ciarán the Elder, the founder of the monastery at Saighir, and Ciarán the Younger, the founder of the monastery at Clonmacnoise.
Cillian m Irish Probably from Old Irish
cell meaning
"church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
Claire f French, English French form of
Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by
Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.
Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Ancient Roman [1] [2] Feminine form of the Latin name
Clarus, which meant
"clear, bright, famous" [3] [4] [5] [6] . The name
Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called
Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.
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