Old English female names. English and American names

Avalina- a small apple.
Avalon (Avelina, Avalina)- a small bird.
Adelaide- noble, high-born.
Adamina (Adminna, Admin)- Earth.

Adeline- fragrant.
Adelicia- noble.
Admiranda- worthy of admiration.
Alexandrina- courageous, protector.
Alberta- brilliant, famous.
Amalia- diligent.
Anabella- attractive.
Angelica- angelic.
Annetta- cheerful, trouble-free.
Arlina (Arlen)- dedicated.
Aspen- poplar.
Beatrice- blessing.
Bertha- bright, light, magnificent.
Brianna- strong.
Brittany- purposeful.
Brittney- Brittany is a region in France.
Brooke- sophisticated.
Vivianna- a dreamer.
Virginia- clean, girl.
Gabriella- the firmness of God.
Hermione- aristocrat.
Gloria- happy.
Goldie- bright and shiny.
Gray- calm.
Davinia- beloved.
Jill- energetic and young.
Dawn- dawn.
Dianne- divine, heavenly.
Dakota- friendly.
Jennifer- white-skinned.
Gina- queen, royal.
Jordan- Jordan River
Julia- curly.
Jackson- braggart.
Eve- mobile, mischievous.
Yerania- heavenly.
Erline- noblewoman, princess, warrior.
Jasmine (Jasmine, Jasmine, Hasmine)- flower.
Geneva- forever fresh.
Zara- golden.
Zennia (Zenia, Xena)- open.
Isabel- gorgeous.
Yolanda (Iolanta)- violet.
Camilla- noble.
Carissa- large-fruited.
Carmen- Madonna of Mount Carmel.
Kelly- battle, war.
Katherine (Catherine)- Love.
Clarissa (Clara, Clarina)- clear, light.
Kimberly- leader.
Connie- faithful
Carrie- beautiful song.
Catherine- chaste.
Caitlin (Katlinn, Katlinna)- virtuous.
Laura- crowned with laurel.
Lysandre- protector of people.
Linda- beautiful.
Linsey- inspired.
Malinda (Melinda)- honey beauty.
Margaret (Rita)- a priceless pearl.
Marianne- sad beauty.
Marilyn- sad.
Mirabel (Marabelle, Mira)- excellent, display of perfection.
Morgana- sea.
Mary- beloved.
Nadiya- hope.
Nirvana- free.
Nora- fortune teller.
Nancy- merciful, gracious.
Audra- given by God.
Ora- mountain.
Pamela (Pamila)- wanderer.
Penelope- patient, dreamer.
Poly- baby.
Peggy- pearl.
Rebecca- dexterous.
Rexana (Roxana)- dawn.
Rinna- queen.
Rosalinda (Rosalina)- queen of flowers, rose.
Rosita- golden yellow, red.
Rubina- queen of gems.
Sabina- a name from the Sabine tribe.
Sabrina- from the name of the Severn River.
Sarina (Sarah)- noble, princess.
Serena (Sarina, Serina)- calm.
Sayana- assistant.
Sigourney- winner
Cynthia (Cindy)- goddess of moonlight.
Stephanie- wreath.
Suzanne (Susie)- lily.
Tera- unknown land.
Tiana- the most beautiful.
Whitney- blonde.
Flora- goddess of flowers.
Frida- world.
Franny- friendly.
Hannah (Hannah)- merciful, gracious.
Helen (Helen)- light.
Hilda (Hilda)- practical, protector.
Harla (Carla, Caroline, Charlotte)- free.
Hazel- reliable.
Shania (Shani)- ambitious, with bright eyes.
Shanika- bright, cheerful, joyful.
Shonda- trusted friend.
Eureka (Everika)- insight, enlightenment.
Eglantina- rose hip.
Edwina- bringing victory with the sword.
Elicia- playful.
Elfrida- magical, little deer.
Emma- universal.
Ernesta- serious, strict.
Eugenia- noble.
Yunisa- good, good victory, my dear.

So much is told about the culture or traditions of England, but it is quite rare to learn about english names . And the topic, by the way, is very interesting. After all, the naming system is globally different from what we are used to.

If we have a first and last name, then in England it is somewhat different. They have a first name, a middle name and a last name. In addition, in England it is considered normal to give diminutive forms of a name. For example, even in formal negotiations a person may be called Tony, although he full name sounds like Anthony. If desired, the child can be immediately registered with a diminutive name and the state will not object. Moreover, you can take almost any word or name as a name - for example, the name Brooklyn. But if they tried to name their son, for example, Novosibirsk, they would hardly give permission.

System of English given names and surnames

Each of us is already accustomed to the fact that he is the bearer of a surname, name and patronymic. But for the English this scheme is not suitable; their system of names is absolutely unusual and therefore curious. The main difference between our systems is the absence of a middle name. Instead, they have a surname, first name and middle name. Moreover, as either of these two names, an Englishman can bear the surnames of some stars or even his ancestors. Although there is no strict requirement that a person have only these three points. Any Englishman can give a child a name from several names or surnames. For example, if you want to name it after a whole football team straightaway.

This tradition of giving a person a surname as a first name has survived to this day from noble families. Although the history of the English name system developed quite actively, borrowings were made from various countries, and also names were mixed from the Angles, Celtic tribes, and Franco-Normans. Since the Anglo-Saxons initially had only one name, they tried to attach special significance to it. Therefore, in ancient names one could find words such as wealth or health. Old English female names were most often formed using adjectives, the most common variation being Leof (dear, beloved). And after the Norman invasion of England, a surname was gradually added to the name, making it already close to the system of names existing today. The old Anglo-Saxon names gradually began to disappear and due to the influence of the Christian religion, Christian schools that opened everywhere actively stimulated the registration of newborns who received a name at baptism, so the names changed slightly: from Mary to Mary, from Jeanne to Joanna.

English first and last name generator

GENERATOR OF ENGLISH NAMES AND SURNAMES
(including Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Scottish surnames)

Here are the most common ones British names . For convenience, they are divided into parts of the country, because in each corner some of the most popular individual names. Some of them are the same, some are different. The names are ranked by popularity.

England

Men's

1. Harry– Harry (diminutive of Henry – rich, powerful)
2. Oliver– Oliver (from ancient German – army)
3. Jack– Jack (diminutive of John, from Hebrew – Yahweh is merciful)
4. Charlie– Charlie (from ancient German – man, husband)
5. Thomas– Thomas (from ancient Greek – twin)
6. Jacob– Jacob (simplified version of the name James)
7. Alfie– Alfie (from Old English – advice)
8. Riley– Riley (from Irish – courageous)
9. William– William (from ancient German – desire, will)
10. James– James (from Hebrew – “heel-holding”)

Women's

1. Amelia– Amelia (from ancient German – labor, work)
2. Olivia– Olivia (from Latin – olive tree)
3. Jessica– Jessica (the exact meaning is unknown, perhaps the name comes from the biblical name Jescha)
4. Emily– Emily (female form) male name Emil - rival)
5. Lily– Lily (from English name lily flower)
6. Ava– Ava (variant of the medieval English name Evelyn)
7. Heather– Heather (from English – heather)
8. Sophie– Sophie (from ancient Greek – wisdom)
9. Mia– Mia
10. Isabella– Isabella (Provençal version of the name Elizabeth)

Northern Ireland

Men's

1. Jack– Jack
2. James– James
3. Daniel– Daniel
4. Harry– Harry
5. Charlie– Charlie
6. Ethan– Ethan
7. Matthew– Matthew (from Hebrew – gift of Yahweh)
8. Ryan– Ryan
9. Riley– Riley
10. Noah– Noah

Women's

1. Sophie– Sophie
2. Emily– Emily
3. Grace– Grace (from English – grace, elegance)
4. Amelia– Amelia
5. Jessica– Jessica
6. Lucy– Lucy (from the male Roman name Lucius - light)
7. Sophia– Sofia (variant of the name Sophie)
8. Katie– Katie (from Greek – pure, purebred)
9. Eva– Eve (from Hebrew – breathe, live)
10. Aoife– Ifa (from Irish – beauty)

Wales

Men's

1. Jacob– Jacob
2. Oliver– Oliver
3. Riley– Riley
4. Jack– Jack
5. Alfie– Alfie
6. Harry– Harry
7. Charlie– Charlie
8. Dylan– Dylan (according to Welsh mythology, this was the name of the God of the Sea)
9. William– William
10. Mason– Mason (from a similar surname meaning “stone carving”)

Women's

1. Amelia– Amelia
2. Ava– Ava
3. Mia– Mia
4. Lily– Lily
5. Olivia– Olivia
6. Ruby– Ruby (from English – ruby)
7. Seren– Seren (from Latin – clear)
8. Evie– Evie (from English surname Evelyn)
9. Ella– Ella (from ancient German – all, everything)
10. Emily– Emily

Modern English names

In English names, affectionate and diminutive forms are very often found as official name. In our country, this form is allowed only in personal, close communication. For example, take people familiar to everyone - Bill Clinton or Tony Blair. They are called by such names even at world negotiations, and this is absolutely acceptable. Although in fact Bill's full name is William, and Tony is Anthony. The British are allowed to register a newborn child by giving him diminutive name as first or second. Although there are no special prohibitions on choosing a name in English speaking countries there is no such thing, you can give the child a name in honor of the city or region. For example, this is what the star couple Beckham did: Victoria and David gave their son the name Brooklyn - it was in this area of ​​New York that he was born.

Gradually, fashion began to change and names in English-speaking countries began to be often borrowed from different languages. Since the 19th century, many female names have appeared, such as Ruby, Daisy, Beryl, Amber and others. Names originally from Spain or France were readily used - Michelle, Angelina, Jacqueline. But the tendency of some people to give their children unusual names has not gone away. Bill Simser, vice president of Microsoft, named his daughter Vista Avalon. The first part of the name is in honor of Windows Vista, and the second part is in honor of code name Avalon systems. But director Kevin Smith decided to name his daughter Harley Quinn - that was the name of the girl from the Batman comics.

By the way, not every owner likes such unusual names. Many children are embarrassed by this and eagerly wait until they reach adulthood to officially change their name. Little Pixie Geldof, who is the daughter of musician Bob Geldof, was very embarrassed by the prefix “little” at the beginning of her name and adult life preferred to call herself simply Pixie. But it’s hard to even imagine what a resident of New Zealand, whose name is Bus No. 16, will do with his name. One can only envy his parents’ imagination.

Until the eleventh century, English names served the only source personal identification, the British did not have a middle name. People were distinguished simply by name, and three old Anglo-Saxon names from that period - Edith, Edward and Edmund - have survived to this day.

Foreign names in England

Most of the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) names that have come down to us are two-base: Æðelgar - æðele (noble) + gār (spear), Eadgifu - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + gifu, gyfu (gift, gift), Eadweard - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + weard (guardian, guardian).

Old English names were given to newborns at a baptism ceremony. Ancient names were given to children depending on social status families. The Norman nobility bore Germanic names - Geoffrey, Henry, Ralph, Richard, Roger, Odo, Walter, William and from Brittany - Alan (Alan) and Brian (Brian).

The Normans proposed the idea of ​​forming Old English female names from male ones.- Patrick, Patricia, Paul, which are used in England to this day. Between 1150 and 1300 the number of names used began to decline rapidly. Towards the end of the fourteenth century most of The male population had one of five names: Henry, John, Richard, Robert, William.

Women's names in the fourteenth century were also not very diverse: Alice, Anne, Elizabeth, Jane and Rose. Since a personal name could no longer individualize one or another member of society, the use of hereditary surnames began, for example, Richard, son of John. This process in London proceeded very slowly, moving down the social ladder from wealthy aristocrats to the poor. In the north of England, even at the end of the sixteenth century, many residents still did not have their own surnames.

In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, New Testament biblical names came into fashion:

• Andrew
• John
• Luke.
• Mark.
• Matthew.
• Peter (Peter).
• Agnes.
• Anne.
• Catherine.
• Elizabeth.
• Jane.
• Mary

Common names in the 18th century in England were John, William and Thomas, and for women - Mary, Elizabeth and Anne. In the 19th century, male names were John, William and James, and female names were Mary, Helen and Anne. In the 20th century, English fashion for names changed significantly every ten years..

Popular English names of the last 500 years

The UK Office for National Statistics conducted an unusual English experiment in the field of family history. She examined more than 34 million British and Irish birth records from 1530 to 2005 and identified the 100 most popular male and female names.

English male names:

• John
• William.
• Thomas.
• George.
• James

English female names:

• Mary
• Elizabeth.
• Sarah.
• Margaret.
• Anna (Ann).

Rare and unusual names

Unusual English names identified by management data national statistics England. Each name on the list below was identified in 2016 from child registration records in England. Rare case application of the name, since it was given to no more than three newborns, confirms high degree uniqueness across the country.

The rarest English girl names:

• Adalie. Meaning: “God is my refuge, noble one.”
• Agape. Meaning: "Love" in ancient Greek.
• Birdie. Meaning: "Bird".
• Noam. Meaning: "Pleasantness."
• Onyx. Meaning: "Claw or nail" in ancient Greek. Black gem.

The rarest English boy names:

• Ajax. Meaning: "Eagle" in ancient times Greek mythology.
• Dougal. Meaning: "Dark Stranger" in Gaelic.
• Henderson. Meaning: Traditional English surname.
• Jools. Meaning: "Descended from Jupiter."
• Marvelous. Meaning: wonderful, beautiful, wonderful. More traditionally, it is a Nigerian girl's name.

Modern tendencies

Fashion trends in names are always in dynamic motion. New names were born, old ones returned from the distant past, regaining forgotten popularity, and sometimes the British simply borrowed names from other peoples. England has its own characteristics - the fashion for names is also dictated by the royal family. The names of the royal family members Harry, William, Elizabeth, George, are especially popular among the people. In 2017, the UK National Statistical Service ONS published an annual report containing data on the names of newborns in 2016.

The boy's name Oliver leads the list, and the female name Amelia leads the list.. This is such a championship star couple occupies since 2013. Although in fact, many believe that in London the male name Muhammad is in first place. If you take a closer look at the list of the best baby names in England and Wales, this opinion seems to be true.

Muhammad - Arabic name and has several spellings, so in the statistics given the name Muhammad appears several times. Muhammad ranked 8th, Mohammad ranked 31st, Mohammad ranked 68th, with total number- 7,084 people. And the name Oliver was given to 6,623 newborns, so Mohammed has an obvious advantage over Oliver. ONS representatives attribute this popularity to Muslim name in England with social changes in the country.

Ahead of ONS, the English website for parents BabyCentr released its official version 100 best names for children. The lists are compiled from a survey of more than 94,665 parents of newborns (51,073 boys and 43,592 girls). Olivia again took first place in the female names category. This year, the name Muhammad confidently surpassed the name Oliver, taking the leading position. The site also notes that in England they have begun to give more gender-neutral names, for example, the name Harley is called almost the same for male and female children.

Best English female names of 2017:

Best English male names of 2017:

Meanings of English names

Numerous life stories, research and theory suggest that names help shape a person's personality. Names are certainly not the only force in life that makes a personality develop in a certain way and become a person, but the importance of the name was noticed in ancient times.

English male names and their meanings

Meanings of English female names

1. Olivia. The name is in Latin oliva, meaning "olive."
2. Sofia (Sophia). The legends about her probably originated from the medieval "Hagia Sophia", meaning "Holy Wisdom".
3. Amelia. A mixture of the medieval names Emilia and Amalia. In Latin it means "industry" and "endeavor." Its Teutonic meaning is "protector".
4. Lily. In English, the meaning of Lily is: the lily flower is a symbol of innocence, purity and beauty.
5. Emily. Emily is female name, derived from the Roman female name Aemilia. The Latin name Aemilia, in turn, may come from Latin word aemulus (or from the same root as aemulus) - this means "rival".
6. Ava. Possibly from the Latin avis, meaning "bird". It may also be a short form of Chava ("life" or "living"), the Hebrew form of Eve.
7. Isla. Traditionally used mainly in Scottish usage, derived from Islay, which is the name of the island west coast Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers.
8. Isabella. Variant of Elizabeth meaning "dedicated to God" in Hebrew.
9. Mia. In Latin, the meaning of the name Mia is: desired child.
10. Isabelle. The Hebrew meaning of the name Isabel is: dedicated to God.
11. Ella. Meaning in English: Abbreviation of Eleanor and Ellen - beautiful fairy.
12. Poppy. This is a feminine name from the name of the poppy flower, derived from Old English popæg and referring to various types Papaver. The name is gaining popularity in the UK.
13. Freya. In Scandinavia, the meaning of the name is lady. Derived from the name Freya, the Scandinavian goddess of love and fertility and the mythological wife of Odin.
14. Grace. The English meaning of the word is "grace", derived from the Latin gratia, which means blessing of God.
15. Sophie. In Greek the meaning of the name Sophie is wisdom, wise.
16. Evie in Hebrew the meaning of the name Evie is life, living.
17. Charlotte. Charlotte is a feminine given name, the feminine form of the masculine name Charlot, a diminutive of Charles. It has French origin, meaning " free man" or "small".
18. Aria. Italian - "air". In music, an aria is usually a solo in an opera. In Hebrew it comes from Ariel, meaning lion of God, and its Teutonic origins are related to the bird.
19. Evelyn. In French: From a surname derived from the French Aveline, meaning hazelnut.
20. Phoebe. Feminine form of Greek phoibe (bright), which comes from phoibo (bright). Phoebe appears in Greek mythology as the name of Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. In poetry, Phoebe represents the moon.

Each of us received a name at birth. However, when we look at our lives, we wonder who we would be if our names were different.

A name is a person’s personal name, which is given to him at birth; it is a well-known fact. As a rule, when meeting a new person, we tell him our name, and the person tells him his. Why might British and American names? In fact, everything is very simple. We read about such people in books and articles on the Internet, watch English and American movies. In this article we will analyze the origin and compile a list of common female and male English and American names.

Origin

The traditions associated with English and American names differ from those familiar to us. In English-speaking countries, a person's name consists of three components: the first name (given name), the second name (middle name) and the last name (surname). The roles of the first and second can be traditional names and even last names. In addition, diminutive forms are often used (for example, these are the Americans we all know: Bill Clinton or Johnny Depp), even in an official setting.

The history of the origin of names always helps to learn more about the history of the country and its culture. In England you can find names of Anglo-Saxon origin, biblical and imbued with Protestant culture (Faith-My-Joy, Everlasting-Mercy), borrowings from other cultures and familiar individual names, which today can become any common noun.

List of popular female names in the table

There are a lot of female and male names in the English language and they often overlap, so we have prepared for you a selection of 60 (30 male and 30 female) that can often be found in the UK. Many of them will be familiar for a long time, thanks to literature and English and American cinema.

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List of male names in the table

The most common female names

The modern English dictionary of names is varied and very rich. But among all this diversity there are those that are found most often. In Russia it is considered popular to name children Alexander, Maxim, Sophia and Maria, but what is the most common name for children in the UK? What names are considered beautiful and most loved by people who call British English their native language?

Some of these names are in the top ten long years, are considered beautiful or even “classic”, others come and go depending on fashion. So, when Kate Middleton gave birth to her son George in 2013, and her daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana in 2015, these names immediately gained great popularity among the British population.

The most common male names

The most unusual male and female names

Unusual, and often even a little strange names, people give to their children in English-speaking countries. We have selected for you several examples that can be found in England and the USA.

Unusual male names

Unusual female names

Useful video on the topic:

List of popular and rare English names for girls.

Nowadays, many new parents are coming up with various and interesting names. Along with ancient Russian names, foreign ones are gaining popularity. Their popularization is associated with foreign films and TV series.

What are the most popular, beautiful, rare, unusual, short English names for girls: ranking of the best with meaning

Now in our country there are quite a lot of girls with foreign names. We offer you a rating.

Foreign names and their decoding:

• Abigail. Translated, it means “Father’s Joy.” Most often, girls grow up to be very positive and in a good mood.
• Elinor. In translation it stands for “shepherdess”. Usually girls are quite simple and comfortable in communication.
• Eveline. The girl is very independent and leaves her parents' nest early. Translated it means “free bird”.
• Avalon. Translated it means “Apple”. Girls grow up to be very powerful and responsible. In America, this is what girls are called in winter.
• Holly. Girls are very sensual and faithful. They never betray. Translated it means “sister”.
• Anabelle. The girls are very unconventional and different from the majority. They have a subtle mental organization that not everyone likes. Translated it means “gracefully beautiful.”
• Andrea. Means "warlike". This is a fighter girl who is not afraid of difficulties. She is always ahead and very brave.
• Doris. These girls are very cheerful and cheerful. Translated it means “funny”.

Short beautiful English female names for girls and girls: list, meanings

Popular short names because of its brevity.

List:

• Laura. Such girls can predict the future. They are endowed with good intuition. Translated it means “seer”.
• Chloe. The girl is very strong spiritually and will not stop at any obstacles. Translated as “mighty.”
• Chris. A very popular name in the USA. There is a legend dedicated to this name. The girl is very brave and courageous.
• Lisa. A friendly girl who has many friends. Loves to communicate. Translated, the name means “friendship.”
• Easy. The girl is very emotional and sensual. Translated it means “sensual”.
• Audrey. This name has English origin, but gained popularity in America. Translated it means “light”.
• Neli. Popular name, which means "appearing". Such a girl can be unexpected and spontaneous.
• Katie. Very gifted and active. Means "girl".

The most popular English female names: list, meanings

There are also a lot of foreign names that I most often call girls.

List:

• Agatha. The girl is very good and responsive. Means “kind”, “bright”.
• April. The girl is very emotional and can evoke a response from many men. Translated it means “spring”.
• Audrey. A well-known and common name in the states. Means “light, radiant.”
• Cecilia. This girl is fire. Very passionate and emotional. Means "changeable".
• Emily. The girl knows what she wants and is constantly on the move. Means "rival".
• Amanda. A girl with bright and good energy, always positive. Means "pleasant".

The rarest English female names: list, meanings

As in our country, in foreign countries there are names that girls are called the least often.

WITH squeak:

• Rebecca. This is a very sociable representative of the fair sex. She gets along well with others, as her name means “friendly.”
• Mabel. An unusual representative of the fair sex. She has a calm disposition and finds a way out of any situation. life situations. Translated it means “pearl”.
• Candles. A girl with that name is very modest and shy. She rarely causes much fuss because her name translates to “virgin.”
• Madeline. A representative of the fair sex with this name is very calm and responsible. Since childhood, she can be assigned a variety of tasks. Translated, it means “obedient daughter.”
• Nellie. In our country the name is also not particularly popular, as in the countries of Europe and America. Translated it means “appearing”.
• Laura. It's never boring with such a girl; she will always find something to do. Translated it means “toy”.

The most unusual English female names: list, meanings

There are names that are quite rare and unusual.

WITH squeak:

• Annik. A girl with that name tries to be useful. After all, when translated, her name means “useful.”
• Christie. The girl is very devout, as her name means “follower of Christ.”
• Dusty. The character of the fair sex is strong and strong-willed, as translated it means “Thor’s stone.”
• Stanley. A young lady with that name strives for harmony in everything. Translated it means “cleansing”.
• Manley. The young lady always strives for clarity and certainty. Perhaps due to the fact that the name means “clarifying” in translation.
• Baz. A somewhat non-standard name, which is very reminiscent of a man's name. Translated it means “Grass”.
• Ogden. The girl is very persistent and strong in spirit. She does not lose heart and always goes ahead, because her name means “oak grove.”
• Kevin. Both girls and men are called this name. Translated it means “dear, beloved.”
• Clare. The name can often be found in films, but it is not popular. Translated it means “glorifying.”
• Filip. This name can also be considered both male and female. Translated it sounds like “horse lover.”

Despite the popularization of foreign names, girls in our country are still rarely called with English names. More often, names are used that have gained popularity both here and in Europe.