Brooke f English Variant of
Brook. The name came into use in the 1950s, probably influenced by American socialite Brooke Astor (1902-2007). It was further popularized by actress Brooke Shields (1965-).
Bruce m Scottish, English From a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France
[1] . The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. It has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in the 1940s and 50s. Notable bearers include Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee (1940-1973), American musician Bruce Springsteen (1949-), and American actor Bruce Willis (1955-). It is also the real name of the comic book superheroes Batman (Bruce Wayne), created 1939, and the Hulk (Bruce Banner), created 1962.
Brutus m Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen meaning
"heavy" in Latin. Famous bearers include Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Roman Republic, and Marcus Junius Brutus, the statesman who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar.
Buffy f English Diminutive of
Elizabeth, from a child's pronunciation of the final syllable. It is now associated with the main character from the television series
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Buzz m English From a nickname derived from the onomatopoeic word
buzz meaning
"buzz, hum, murmur". A notable bearer is American astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (1930-), one of the first people to walk on the moon. The character Buzz Lightyear from the movie
Toy Story (1995) was named after Aldrin.
Cade m English From an English surname that was originally derived from a nickname meaning
"round" in Old English.
Caden m English (Modern) Sometimes explained as deriving from the Irish surname
Caden, which is an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Mac Cadáin, itself from the given name
Cadán (of unknown meaning). In actuality, the popularity of this name in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound — it shares its fashionable
den suffix sound with other trendy names like
Hayden ,
Aidan and
Braden .
Camden m English (Modern) From an English surname that was derived from a place name, perhaps meaning
"enclosed valley" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).
Cameron m & f English From the Scottish surname
Cameron meaning
"crooked nose", derived from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
sròn "nose"
[1] . As a given name it is mainly used for boys. It got a little bump in popularity for girls in the second half of the 1990s, likely because of the fame of actress Cameron Diaz (1972-). In the United States, the forms
Camryn and
Kamryn are now more popular than
Cameron for girls.
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin From the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament
[1] . It is apparently derived from Meroitic
kdke meaning
"queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled
Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling
[2] . Cannon m English From an English surname, which was derived from Middle English
canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house. This name may also be used in reference to the vocabulary word for the large gun, derived from Italian
cannone "large tube", from Latin
canna "cane, reed".
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.
Carl m German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English German and Scandinavian variant of
Karl (see
Charles). Noteworthy bearers of the name include the Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who founded modern taxonomy, the German mathematician Carl Gauss (1777-1855), who made contributions to number theory and algebra as well as physics and astronomy, and the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology. It was imported to America in the 19th century by German immigrants.
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German Medieval Spanish form of
Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word
carmen meaning
"song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera
Carmen (1875).
Carol 1 f & m English Short form of
Caroline. It began growing in popularity as a feminine name in the United States in the early 20th century, peaking in 1945, then declining and falling off the charts. As an uncommon masculine name, it is derived from
Carolus [1] . The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song, hymn".
Carson m & f English From a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
Casey m & f English From the Irish surname
Casey, an Anglicized form of
Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name
Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case,
Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Cash m English From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French
casse meaning
"case", from Latin
capsa. It coincides with the English word
cash meaning
"money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
Cat f & m English Diminutive of
Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Cataleya f Spanish (Latin American, Modern), English (Modern) Variant of
cattleya, a genus of orchids native to Central and South America, which were named for the British horticulturist William Cattley. This name was popularized by the main character from the movie
Colombiana (2011).
Cato 1 m Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen meaning
"wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
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] Celia f English, Spanish Feminine form of the Roman family name
Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play
As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of
Cecilia.
Chance m English Originally a diminutive of
Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word
chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin
cadens "falling").
Chandler m & f English From an occupational surname that meant
"candle seller" or
"candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin
candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom
Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Chanel f English From a French surname that meant either
"channel", indicating a person who lived near a channel of water, or
"jug, jar, bottle", indicating a manufacturer of jugs. It has been used as an American given name since 1970s, influenced by the Chanel brand name (a line of women's clothing and perfume), which was named for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
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".
Charisma f English (Rare) From the English word meaning
"personal magnetism", ultimately derived from Greek
charis) meaning "grace, kindness".
Charity f English From the English word
charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin
caritas "dearness, esteem, love", from Latin
carus "dear, beloved".
Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name
Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
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] Charlie m & f English Diminutive or feminine form of
Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Charlize f Afrikaans Feminine form of
Charles using the popular Afrikaans name suffix
ize. This name was popularized by South African actress Charlize Theron (1975-), who was named after her father Charles.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch French feminine diminutive of
Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century
[1] . It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of
Jane Eyre and
Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
... [more] Chase m English From an English surname meaning
"chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
Chelsea f English From the name of a district in London, originally meaning
"landing place for chalk or limestone", derived from Old English
cealc "chalk, limestone, plaster" and
hyð "port, landing place"
[1] [2] .
... [more] Cherie f English Derived from French
chérie meaning
"darling". In America,
Cherie came into use shortly after the variant
Sherry , and has not been as common.
Cherry f English Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin
cerasium, Greek
kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of
Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Cheryl f English Elaboration of
Cherie, perhaps influenced by
Beryl [1] [2] . This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie
Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Chester m English From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin
castrum "camp, fortress".
Cheyenne f English Derived from the Lakota word
šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Chip m English Diminutive of
Charles or
Christopher. It can also be from a nickname given in reference to the phrase
a chip off the old block, used of a son who is similar to his father.
Chrissy f English Diminutive of
Christine or
Christina. This name briefly jumped in popularity after the 1977 premiere of the American sitcom
Three's Company, featuring a character by this name.
Christabel f English (Rare) Combination of
Christina and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem
Christabel [1] .
Christian m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian From the medieval Latin name
Christianus meaning
"a Christian" (see
Christos 1 for further etymology)
[1] [2] . In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females
[1] , but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.
... [more] Chuck m English Diminutive of
Charles. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-2020), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.
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.
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.
... [more] Clarice f English Medieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name
Claritia, which was a derivative of
Clara.
Clarissa f English, Italian Latinate form of
Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel
Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.
Clay m English From an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of
Clayton.
Clayton m English From a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning
"clay settlement" in Old English.
Clover f English (Modern) From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
Clovis m History, French Contemporary spelling, via the Latinized form
Clodovicus, of the Germanic name
Hludwig (see
Ludwig). Clovis was a Frankish king who united the Franks under his rule in the 5th century. The name was subsequently borne by two further Merovingian kings.
Coco f Various Diminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971; real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.