CATHERINE f French, English
French form of KATHERINE, and also a common English variant.
CHICO m Portuguese
Diminutive of FRANCISCO.
CHIDI m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God exists” in Igbo. It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with Chidi.
CHIDIEBERE m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is merciful” in Igbo.
CHIDIEBUBE m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is glorious” in Igbo.
CHIDIEGWU m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is wonderful” in Igbo.
CHIDIKE m Western African, Igbo
Means “God is strong” in Igbo.
CHIDIMMA f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is good” in Igbo.
CATELLO m Italian
Italian form of CATELLUS.
CATELLUS m Late Roman
Probably from Latin catulus meaning “young dog, puppy”. Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.
CATERINA f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of KATHERINE.
CATHAIR m Irish
Possibly means “battle man” from Irish cath “battle” and fer “man”.
CATHAL m Irish
Derived from Irish cath “battle” and fál “ruler”. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Charles.
CATHALÁN m Irish
Diminutive of CATHAL.
CATHÁN m Irish
Derived from Irish cath “battle” combined with a diminutive suffix.
CATHAOIR m Irish
Variant of CATHAIR.
CATHARINA f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of KATHERINE.
CATHARINE f English
Variant of KATHERINE.
CATHASACH m Ancient Irish
Means “vigilant” in Irish.
CATHERIN f English (Rare)
Variant of KATHERINE.
CATHERINA f English (Rare)
Variant of KATHERINE.
CATHLEEN f Irish, English
Variant of KATHLEEN.
CATHRIN f German
German short form of KATHARINA.
CATHRINE f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of KATHERINE.
CATHRYN f English
Variant of KATHERINE.
CATHY f English
Diminutive of CATHERINE.
CÁTIA f Portuguese
Diminutive of CATARINA.
CATIA f Italian
Italian diminutive of CATERINA.
CATINA f Romanian
Contracted form of CĂTĂLINA.
CATO (1) m Ancient Roman
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.
CATO (2) f Dutch
Diminutive of CATHARINA.
CATRIN f Welsh, German
Welsh form of KATHERINE, as well as a German short form of KATHARINA.
CATRINA f Irish, Scottish
Variant of CATRIONA.
CATRINE f Swedish
Swedish variant of KATRINE.
CATRINEL f Romanian
Diminutive of ECATERINA.
CATRIONA f Irish, Scottish
Gaelic form of KATHERINE.
CAUÃ m Indigenous American, Tupi
Means “hawk” in Tupi.
CAVAN m English
Either from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish cabhán “hollow”, or else from the Irish surname CAVAN.
CAYDEN m English (Modern)
Variant of CADEN.
CAYETANA f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).
CAYETANO m Spanish
Spanish form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).
CAYLEY f English (Rare)
Variant of KAYLEE.
CAYSON m English (Modern)
Variant of CASON.
CEADDA m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of CHAD.
CEALLACH m Irish
Irish name of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean “bright-headed”. Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish ceallach “war, strife” or ceall “church”.
CEALLACHÁN m Irish
Diminutive of CEALLACH.
CEALLAGH m Irish
Variant of CEALLACH.
CEARA f English (Rare)
Variant of CIARA (2).
CEARBHALL m Irish
Probably from Gaelic cearbh “hacking with a weapon”.
CEARRA f English (Rare)
Variant of CIARA (2).
CEBRAİL m Turkish
Turkish form of GABRIEL.
CEBRIÁN m Spanish
Spanish form of Cyprianus (see CYPRIAN).
CECE f English
Diminutive of CECILIA and other names containing a similar sound.
CECELIA f English
Variant of CECILIA.
CECIL m English
From the Roman name Caecilius (see CECILIA). This was the name of a 3rd-century saint, a companion of Saint Cyprian. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of SEXTUS.
CÉCILE f French
French form of CECILIA.
CÉCILIA f French
French form of CECILIA.
CECÍLIA f Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak and Hungarian form of CECILIA.
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”. 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]
CECÍLIE f Czech
Czech form of CECILIA.
CECILIE f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of CECILIA, as well as a Czech variant of CECÍLIE.
CECILIJA f Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian
Slovene, Croatian and Sorbian form of CECILIA.
CECÍLIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caecilius (see CECILIA).
CECILIO m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Caecilius (see CECILIA).
CECILY f English
English form of CECILIA. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.
CECYLIA f Polish
Polish form of CECILIA.
CEDAR f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros).
ČEDOMIR m Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Derived from the Slavic elements chedo meaning “child” and miru meaning “peace, world”.
CÉDRIC m French
French form of CEDRIC.
CEDRIC m English
Invented by Sir Walter Scott for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name Cerdic, the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. The meaning of Cerdic is uncertain, but it does not appear to be Old English in origin. It could be connected to the Brythonic name CARATACOS. The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).
CEEL m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of MARCELLUS.
CEES m Dutch
Variant of KEES.
CEFERINO m Spanish
Spanish form of Zephyrinus (see ZEFERINO).
CEFIN m Welsh
Welsh form of KEVIN.
CÉFIRO m Greek Mythology (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of ZEPHYR.
CÉIBHFHIONN f Irish Mythology
Means “fair locks” in Irish. This was the name of an Irish goddess of inspiration.
CEINWEN f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements cain “good, lovely” and gwen “white, fair, blessed”.
CELAL m Kurdish
Kurdish form of JALAL.
CELANDINE f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived from Greek χελιδών (chelidon) meaning “swallow (bird)”.
CÉLESTE f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of CAELESTIS.
CELESTE f & m Italian, English
Italian feminine and masculine form of CAELESTIS. It is also the English feminine form.
CÉLESTIN m French
French form of CAELESTINUS.
CELESTINA f Spanish, Italian
Latinate feminine form of CAELESTINUS.
CÉLESTINE f French
French feminine form of CAELESTINUS.
CELESTINE f & m English
English form of CAELESTINUS. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.
CELESTINO m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of CAELESTINUS.
CELESTYN m Polish
Polish form of CAELESTINUS.
CELESTYNA f Polish
Polish feminine form of CAELESTINUS.
CÉLIA f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of CELIA.
CÈLIA f Catalan
Catalan form of CELIA.
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.
ÇELİK m Turkish
Means “steel” in Turkish.
CELINA f Polish, Portuguese
Polish and Portuguese feminine form of CAELINUS. This name can also function as a short form of MARCELINA.
CELINDA f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of CELIA and LINDA. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
CÉLINE f French
French feminine form of CAELINUS. This name can also function as a short form of MARCELINE.
CELINE f German, English
Variant of CÉLINE.
CELINO m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of CAELINUS or a short form of MARCELINO.
CÉLIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CAELIUS.
CELIO m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of CAELIUS.
CELSO m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of CELSUS.
CELSUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning “tall” in Latin. 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.
CELYN m Welsh
Means “holly” in Welsh.
CEM m Turkish
Turkish form of JAM.
CEMAL m Turkish
Turkish form of JAMAL.
CEMİL m Turkish
Turkish form of JAMIL.
CEMİLE f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of JAMIL.
CEMRE f Turkish
From a term used in Turkish folklore referring to the warming of temperature at the end of winter, thought to occur in three stages affecting air, water, then earth.
CENDRILLON f Literature
French form of CINDERELLA.
ČENĚK m Czech
Diminutive of VINCENC.
CENGİZ m Turkish
Turkish form of GENGHIS.
CENHELM m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of KENELM.
CHAVAQQUQ m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of HABAKKUK.
CHAVDAR m Bulgarian
Derived from a Persian word meaning “leader, dignitary”.
CHAWWAH f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of EVE.
CHAYA f Hebrew
Feminine form of CHAIM.
CHAYIM m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see CHAIM).
CHAYYIM m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see CHAIM).
CENK m Turkish
Means “battle, war” in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
CENNET f Turkish
Means “paradise, garden” in Turkish, derived from Arabic جنّة (jannah).
CENNÉTIG m Irish
Old Irish byname meaning “armoured head” or “misshapen head”. This was the name of an Irish king, the father of Brian Boru.
CENRIC m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene “bold” and ric “ruler”.
ĊENSU m Maltese
Maltese form of VINCENT.
CEOLMUND m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ceol “keel” and mund “protection”.
CEPHALUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from κεφαλή (kephale) meaning “head”. In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
CEPHAS m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means “rock” in Aramaic. The apostle Simon was called Cephas by Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament Cephas is translated into Greek Πέτρος (Petros) (in English Peter).
CEPHEUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κηφεύς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.
CERBERUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέρβερος (Kerberos), which possibly meant “spotted”. In Greek myth this was the name of the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.
CERDIC m Anglo-Saxon
Earlier form of CEDRIC, possibly of Brythonic origin.
CEREN f Turkish
Means “young gazelle” in Turkish.
CERERE f Roman Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of CERES.
CERES f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker meaning “to grow”. In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.
CERI m & f Welsh
Meaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of CERIDWEN; it could be derived from Welsh caru meaning “to love”.
CERIDWEN f Welsh
Possibly from Welsh cyrrid “bent” or cerdd “poetry” combined with ven “woman” or gwen “white, fair, blessed”. According to medieval Welsh legend this was the name of a sorceress or goddess who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard Taliesin.
CERISE f French
Means “cherry” in French.
CERNUNNOS m Gaulish Mythology (Latinized)
Means “horned” in Celtic. This was the name of the Celtic god of fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.
CERRIDWEN f Welsh
Variant of CERIDWEN.
CERRIDWYN f Welsh
Variant of CERIDWEN.
CERYS f Welsh
Variant of CARYS.
CÉSAIRE m French
French form of CAESARIUS.
CÉSAR m French, Spanish, Portuguese
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of CAESAR. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).
CESARE m Italian
Italian form of CAESAR.
CESÁRIA f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of CAESARIUS.
CESARINA f Italian
Feminine diminutive of CESARE.
CESARINO m Italian
Diminutive of CESARE.
CESÁRIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CAESARIUS.
CESC m Catalan
Short form of FRANCESC.
ČESTMÍR m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements chisti “honour” and meru “great, famous” or miru “peace, world”.
ÇETİN m Turkish
Means “harsh, hard” in Turkish.
CEVAHİR f & m Turkish
Turkish form of JAWAHIR.
CEVDET m Turkish
Turkish form of JAWDAT.
CEYLAN f Turkish
Means “gazelle” in Turkish, of Persian origin.
CÉZAR m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of CÉSAR.
CEZAR m Romanian, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Romanian form of CAESAR, as well as a Brazilian Portuguese variant of CÉSAR.
CEZARA f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of CAESAR.
CEZÁRIO m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of CESÁRIO.
CEZARY m Polish
Polish form of CAESAR.
CHAD m English
From the Old English name Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Welsh cad “battle”. 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.
CHADWICK m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning “settlement belonging to CHAD” in Old English.
CHAE-WON f Korean
From Sino-Korean 采 (chae) meaning “collect, gather, pluck” or 彩 (chae) meaning “colour” combined with 原 (won) meaning “source, origin, beginning”. Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
CHAE-YEONG f Korean
From Sino-Korean 彩 (chae) meaning “colour” combined with 榮 (yeong) meaning “glory, honour” or 瑛 (yeong) meaning “jade”. This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.
CHAE-YOUNG f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 채영 (see CHAE-YEONG).
CHAGATAI m History
Usual English spelling of ÇAĞATAY.
CHAGGAI m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of HAGGAI.
CHAGGIT f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of HAGGITH.
CHAIM m Hebrew
Derived from the Hebrew word חַיִּים (chayyim) meaning “life”. It has been used since medieval times.
CHALCHIUHTLICUE f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means “jade skirt” in Nahuatl. She was the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.
CHALEB m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of CALEB used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
CHALICE f English (Rare)
Means simply “chalice, goblet” from the English word, derived from Latin calix.
CHAN m & f Khmer
Means “moon” in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit.
CHANA f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of HANNAH.
CHANAH f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַנָּה (see CHANA).
CHANAN m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of HANAN (1).
CHANANYAH m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of HANANIAH.
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”).
CHAND m Indian, Hindi
Modern masculine form of CHANDA.
CHANDA m & f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means “fierce, hot, passionate” in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड and the feminine form चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga).
CHANDAN m Indian, Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (chandana) meaning “sandalwood”.
CHANDANA f Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi
Feminine form of CHANDAN.
CHANDER m Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi चन्द्र or चन्द्रा (see CHANDRA).
CHANDLER m & f English
From an occupational surname that meant “candle seller” in Middle English, ultimately from Old French.
CHANDRA m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means “moon” in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (chand) meaning “to shine”. This is a transcription of the masculine form चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form चण्डा.
CHANDRAKANT m Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Means “beloved by the moon”, derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (chandra) meaning “moon” and कान्त (kanta) meaning “desired, beloved”. This is another name for the moonstone.
CHANDRAKANTA f Indian, Hindi
Feminine form of CHANDRAKANT.
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).
CHANELLE f English (Modern)
Variant of CHANEL.
CHANG m & f Chinese
From Chinese 昌 (chāng) meaning “flourish, prosper, good, sunlight” (which is usually only masculine), 畅 (chàng) meaning “smooth, free, unrestrained” or 长 (cháng) meaning “long”. Other Chinese characters are also possible.
CHANNAH f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of HANNAH.
CHANNARY f Khmer
Means “moon-faced girl” from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning “moon” and នារី (neari) meaning “woman, girl”.
CHANNING m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname of uncertain origin.
CHANOKH m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of ENOCH.
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”.
CHANTÉ f English (Modern)
Means “sung” in French.
CHANTEL f English
Variant of CHANTAL.
CHANTELLE f English
Variant of CHANTAL.
CHANTREA f Khmer
Means “moonlight” in Khmer.
CHAO m & f Chinese
From Chinese 超 (chāo) meaning “surpass, leap over” (which is usually only masculine), 潮 (cháo) meaning “tide, flow, damp”, or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
CHARA f Greek
Means “happiness, joy” in Greek.
CHARALAMBOS m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χαράλαμπος (see CHARALAMPOS).
CHARALAMPOS m Greek
Means “to shine from happiness” from Greek χαρά (chara) meaning “happiness” combined with λάμπω (lampo) meaning “to shine”.
CHARES m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning “grace, kindness”. This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
CHARIKLEIA f Greek, Ancient Greek
From Greek χάρις (charis) meaning “grace, kindness” and κλέος (kleos) meaning “glory”. This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel Aethiopica by Heliodorus of Emesa, about the love between Chariclea and Theagenes.
CHARIKLIA f Greek
Alternate transcription of CHARIKLEIA.
CHARILAOS m Ancient Greek, Greek
Means “grace of the people”, derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning “grace, kindness” and λαός (laos) meaning “people”.
CHARIOVALDA m Ancient Germanic
Old Germanic cognate of HAROLD.
CHARIS f Ancient Greek, English (Rare)
Feminine form of CHARES. It came into use as an English given name in the 17th century.
CHARISMA f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning “personal magnetism”, ultimately derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning “grace, kindness”.
CHARISSA f English
Elaborated form of CHARIS. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
CHARISSE f English
From a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
CHARITA f Various
Latinate form of CHARITY.
CHARITON m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning “grace, kindness”. This was the name of a 1st-century Greek novelist.
CHARITY f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas meaning “generous 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.
CHARLA f English
Feminine form of CHARLES.
CHARLEE f English (Modern)
Feminine form of CHARLES.
CHARLEEN f English
Variant of CHARLENE.
CHARLEIGH f English (Modern)
Feminine form of CHARLES.
CHARLEMAGNE m History
From Old French Charles le Magne meaning “CHARLES the Great”. This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
CHARLÈNE f French
French form of CHARLENE.
CHARLENE f English
Feminine diminutive of CHARLES.
CHARLES m English, French
From the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a Germanic word meaning “man”. However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element hari meaning “army, warrior”…. [more]
CHARLEY m & f English
Diminutive or feminine form of CHARLES.
CHARLI f English
Strictly feminine form of CHARLIE.
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.
CHARLINE f French
French feminine diminutive of CHARLES.
CHARLIZE f Southern African, 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.
CHARLOT m French
French diminutive of CHARLES.
CHARLOTTA f Swedish
Swedish variant of CHARLOTTE.
CHARLOTTE f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of CHARLES. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. 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…. [more]
CHARLTON m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning “settlement of free men” in Old English.
CHARLY m French
Diminutive of CHARLES.
CHARMAINE f English
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of CHARMIAN or the English word charm with the aine suffix from LORRAINE. It was (first?) used for a character in the play What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.
CHARMIAN f English (Rare)
Form of CHARMION used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
CHARMION f Ancient Greek
Greek name derived from χάρμα (charma) meaning “delight”. This was the name of one of Cleopatra’s servants, as recorded by Plutarch.
CHARNA f Yiddish (Rare)
From a Slavic word meaning “black”.
CHARNETTE f English (Rare)
Probably an invented name.
CHARO f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of ROSARIO.
CHARON m Greek Mythology
Possibly means “fierce brightness” in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.
CHAS m English
Diminutive of CHARLES.
CHASE m English
From a surname meaning “chase, hunt” in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
CHASITY f English
Variant of CHASTITY.
CHASTITY f English
From the English word chastity, which is ultimately from Latin castus “pure”. It was borne by the daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher, which probably led to the name’s increase in popularity during the 1970s.
CHATZKEL m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of EZEKIEL.
CHÂU f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 珠 (châu) meaning “pearl, gem”.
CHAUNCEY m English
From a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in American in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
CHAUSIKU f Eastern African, Swahili
Means “born at night” in Swahili.
CHAVA f Hebrew
Hebrew form of EVE.
CHAZ m English
Diminutive of CHARLES.
CHAZA’EL m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of HAZAEL.
CHE m Spanish
From an Argentine expression meaning “hey!”. This nickname was acquired by the Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Guevara while he was in Cuba.
CHEA m & f Khmer
Means “healthy” in Khmer.
CHEDOMIR m Macedonian, Medieval Slavic
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Чедомир (see ČEDOMIR).
CHEFTZI-BAH f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of HEPHZIBAH.
CHELLE f English
Diminutive of MICHELLE.
CHELO f Spanish
Diminutive of CONSUELO.
CHELSEA f English
From the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning “landing place for chalk or limestone”. It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
CHELSEY f English (Modern)
Variant of CHELSEA.
CHELSIE f English (Modern)
Variant of CHELSEA.
CHEMA m Spanish
Diminutive of JOSÉ MARÍA or JOSÉ MANUEL.
CHEN (1) m & f Chinese
From Chinese 晨 (chén) or 辰 (chén), both meaning “morning”. The character 辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.
CHEN (2) m & f Hebrew
Means “grace, charm” in Hebrew.
CHENANIAH m Biblical
Variant of KENANIAH used in several translations of the Old Testament.
CHENDA f Khmer
Means “thought, intellect” in Khmer.
CHENG m & f Chinese
From Chinese 成 (chéng) meaning “completed, finished, succeeded” or 诚 (chéng) meaning “sincere, honest, true”, as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
CHEOPS m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of KHUFU.
CHER f English
Short form of CHERYL. In the case of the American musician Cher (1946-), it is short for her real name CHERILYN.
CHERETTE f English (Rare)
Diminutive of CHERIE.
CHERI f English
Variant of CHERIE.
CHERICE f English (Rare)
Variant of CHARISSE.
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.
CHERILYN f English
Combination of CHERYL and the popular name suffix lyn.
CHERISE f English
Variant of CHARISSE.
CHERISH f English
From the English word meaning “to treasure”.
CHERNOBOG m Slavic Mythology
Means “the black god” from Slavic cherno “black” and bogu “god”. Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.
CHEROKEE f & m English (Rare)
Probably derived from the Creek word tciloki meaning “people of a different speech”. This is the name of a Native American people who live in the east of North America.
CHERRY f English
Simply means “cherry” from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of CHARITY. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
CHERRYL f English
Variant of CHERYL.
CHERYL f English
Elaboration of CHERIE, perhaps influenced by BERYL. This name was not used before the 20th century.
CHESED f & m Hebrew
Means “kindness, goodness” in Hebrew.
CHESLEY m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning “camp meadow” in Old English.
CHESTER m English
From a 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”.
CHESTIBOR m Medieval Slavic
Medieval Slavic form of CZCIBOR.
CHESTIMIR m Medieval Slavic
Medieval Slavic form of ČESTMÍR.
CHESTIRAD m Medieval Slavic (Hypothetical)
Possible medieval Slavic form of CTIRAD.
CHESTISLAV m Medieval Slavic
Medieval Slavic form of CZESŁAW.
CHET m English
Short form of CHESTER.
CHETAN m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
Means “visible, conscious, soul” in Sanskrit.
CHETANA f Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Feminine form of CHETAN.
CHEVONNE f Irish
Anglicized form of SIOBHÁN.
CHEYANNE f English (Modern)
Variant of CHEYENNE probably influenced by the name ANNE (1).
CHEYENNE f & m English
Derived from the Dakota word shahiyena 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 Dakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
CHI (1) f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 枝 (chi) meaning “branch”.
CHI (2) m & f Mythology, Western African, Igbo
Means “god, spiritual being” in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god. This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
CHÍ m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 志 (chí) meaning “will, spirit”.
CHIAMAKA f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is beautiful” in Igbo.
CHIARA f Italian
Italian form of CLARA. Saint Chiara (commonly called Saint Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
CHIARINA f Italian
Diminutive of CHIARA.
CHIBUEZE m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is the king” in Igbo.
CHIBUIKE m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God is strength” in Igbo.
CHIBUZO m & f Western African, Igbo
Means “God leads the way” in Igbo.
CHICA f Portuguese
Diminutive of FRANCISCA.
CHICHI f Western African, Igbo
Diminutive of Igbo names beginning with the element Chi meaning “God”.
