COSMAS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning “order, decency”. Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
COSME m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of COSMAS.
COSMIN m Romanian
Romanian form of COSMAS.
COSMINA f Romanian
Feminine form of COSMIN.
COSMO m Italian, English
Italian variant of COSIMO. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de’ Medici.
COSTACHE m Romanian
Romanian variant of CONSTANTIN.
COSTANTINO m Italian
Italian form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).
COSTANZA f Italian
Italian feminine form of CONSTANS.
COSTANZO m Italian
Italian form of CONSTANS.
COSTAS m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Κώστας (see KOSTAS).
COSTEL m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of CONSTANTIN.
COSTICĂ m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of CONSTANTIN.
COSTIN m Romanian
Romanian short form of CONSTANTIN.
COTY m English (Modern)
Variant of CODY.
COURTNEY f & m English
From an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus “short”) or else from a Norman nickname meaning “short nose”. As a feminine name in America, it first became popular during the 1970s.
COWAL m Irish
Anglicized form of COMHGHALL.
COL m Medieval English
Medieval short form of NICHOLAS.
COLA m Anglo-Saxon
Old English byname meaning “charcoal”, originally given to a person with dark features.
COLBERT m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman form of the Germanic name COLOBERT.
COLBY m English
From a surname, originally from various English place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname Koli (meaning “coal, dark”) and býr “town”.
COLE m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the Old English byname COLA.
COLEEN f English
Variant of COLLEEN.
COLEMAN m English, Irish
Variant of COLMÁN.
COLENE f English (Rare)
Variant of COLLEEN.
COLETTE f French
Short form of NICOLETTE. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).
COLIN (1) m Scottish, Irish, English
Anglicized form of CAILEAN or COILEAN.
COLIN (2) m English
Medieval diminutive of Col, a short form of NICHOLAS. It is now regarded as an independent name.
COLINE f French
Diminutive of NICOLE.
COLLEEN f English
Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning “girl”. It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
COLLIN m English
Variant of COLIN (2).
COLLYN f & m English (Rare)
Variant of COLLEEN or COLIN (2).
COLM m Irish
Variant of COLUM.
COLMÁN m Irish
Diminutive of Colm (see COLUM). This was the name of a large number of Irish saints.
COLOBERT m Ancient Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements col, possibly meaning “helmet”, and beraht meaning “bright”.
COLOMBA f Italian
Italian feminine form of COLUMBA.
COLOMBANO m Italian
Italian form of COLUMBANUS.
COLOMBE f French
French feminine form of COLUMBA.
COLOMBINA f Italian
Italian feminine diminutive of COLUMBA. In traditional Italian pantomimes this is the name of a stock character, the female counterpart of Arlecchino (also called Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
COLOMBO m Italian
Italian form of COLUMBA.
COLT m English
From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name.
COLTEN m English (Modern)
Variant of COLTON.
COLTON m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning “COLA‘s town”.
COLUM m Irish
Irish form of COLUMBA. This is also an Old Irish word meaning “dove”, derived from Latin columba.
COLUMBA m & f Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning “dove”. The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
COLUMBAN m Irish
Possibly an Irish diminutive of COLUMBA. Alternatively, it may be derived from Old Irish colum “dove” and bán “white”. The 7th-century Saint Columban of Leinster was the founder of several monasteries in Europe.
COLUMBANUS m Late Roman
This name can be viewed as a derivative of COLUMBA or a Latinized form of COLUMBAN, both derivations being approximately equivalent. This is the name of Saint Columban in Latin sources.
COLUMBINE f English (Rare)
From the name of a variety of flower. It is also an English form of COLOMBINA, the pantomime character.
COLWYN m Welsh
From the name of a river in northern Wales.
CÔME m French
French form of COSMAS.
COMFORT f English (Rare)
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare “to strengthen greatly”, a derivative of fortis “strong”. It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation.
COMGAL m Irish
Variant of COMHGHALL.
COMGALL m Irish
Variant of COMHGHALL.
COMGAN m Irish
Anglicized form of COMHGHÁN.
COMHGHALL m Irish
Means “joint pledge” from Irish comh “together” and gall “pledge”.
COMHGHÁN m Irish
Means “born together” from Irish comh “together” and gan “born”.
CONALL m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology
Means “strong wolf” in Irish. This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach (“Conall of the victories”), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged Cúchulainn’s death by killing Lugaid.
CONAN m Irish
Means “little wolf” or “little hound” from Irish cú “wolf, hound” combined with a diminutive suffix. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
CONCEIÇÃO f Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of CONCEPCIÓN.
CONCEPCIÓN f Spanish
Means “conception” in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. A city in Chile bears this name.
CONCEPTA f Irish
Latinate form of CONCEPCIÓN.
CONCETTA f Italian
Italian cognate of CONCEPCIÓN.
CONCETTINA f Italian
Diminutive of CONCETTA.
CONCETTO m Italian
Masculine form of CONCETTA.
CONCHA f Spanish
Diminutive of CONCEPCIÓN. This name can also mean “seashell” in Spanish.
CONCHITA f Spanish
Diminutive of CONCHA.
CONCHOBAR m Ancient Irish, Irish Mythology
Original Irish form of CONOR.
CONCHOBHAR m Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of CONCHOBAR.
CONCHÚR m Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of CONOR.
CONCORDIA f Roman Mythology
Means “harmony” in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of harmony and peace.
CONDOLEEZZA f Various
In the case of the former American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (1954-) it is derived from the Italian musical term con dolcezza meaning “with sweetness”.
CONFUCIUS m History
Anglicized form of the Chinese name Kong Fuzi. The surname 孔 (Kong) means “hole, opening” and the title 夫子 (Fuzi) means “master”. This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was Qiu.
CÔNG m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 公 (công) meaning “fair, equitable, public”.
CONLAOCH m Irish Mythology
Possibly derived from Irish conn “chief” and flaith “lord”. This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including a son of Cúchulainn who was accidentally killed by his father.
CONLETH m Irish
Modern form of the old Irish name Conláed, possibly meaning “chaste fire” from Irish connla “chaste” and aodh “fire”. Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
CONLEY m Irish
Anglicized form of CONLETH.
CONN m Irish
Means “head, chief” in Irish.
CONNELL m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Conaill meaning “descendant of CONALL“.
CONNER m English (Modern)
Variant of CONOR.
CONNIE f & m English
Diminutive of CONSTANCE and other names beginning with Con. It is occasionally a masculine name, a diminutive of CORNELIUS or CONRAD.
CONNLA m Irish Mythology
Variant of CONLAOCH.
CONNOR m Irish, English (Modern)
Variant of CONOR.
CONOR m Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Conchobar, derived from Old Irish con “hound, dog, wolf” and cobar “desiring”. It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish kings. It was also borne by the legendary Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, known for his tragic desire for Deirdre.
CONRAD m English, German, Ancient Germanic
Means “brave counsel”, derived from the Germanic elements kuoni “brave” and rad “counsel”. This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
CONRADO m Spanish
Spanish form of CONRAD.
CONRÍ m Irish
Means “wolf king” in Irish Gaelic.
CONSOLATA f Italian
Means “consoled” in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, María Consolata.
CONSTANÇA f Portuguese
Portuguese form of CONSTANTIA.
CONSTANCE f English, French
Medieval form of CONSTANTIA. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
CONSTÂNCIA f Portuguese
Portuguese form of CONSTANTIA.
CONSTANS m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning “constant, steadfast”. This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of Constantine the Great.
CONSTANT m French, Dutch, English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name CONSTANS. It was also used by the Puritans as a vocabulary name, from the English word constant.
CONSTANȚA f Romanian
Romanian form of CONSTANTIA.
CONSTANTIA f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from CONSTANS.
CONSTANTIJN m Dutch
Dutch form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).
CONSTANTIN m Romanian, French
Romanian and French form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).
CONSTANTINA f Late Roman
Feminine form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).
CONSTANTINE m History
From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of CONSTANS. Constantine the Great (272-337) was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
CONSTANTINO m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).
CONSTANTINUS m Late Roman
Latin form of CONSTANTINE.
CONSTANTIUS m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was a derivative of CONSTANS.
CONSTANZA f Spanish
Spanish form of CONSTANTIA.
CONSTANZE f German
German form of CONSTANTIA.
CONSUELA f Spanish
Variant of CONSUELO.
CONSUELO f Spanish
Means “consolation” in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning “Our Lady of Consolation”.
CONSUS m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning “to sow, to plant”. Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
CONWAY m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means “holy water” in Welsh.
COOPER m English
From a surname meaning “barrel maker”, from Middle English couper.
COOS m Dutch
Diminutive of JACOB.
COR m Dutch
Short form of CORNELIS.
CORA f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KORE. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of CORDULA, CORINNA or other names beginning with a similar sound.
CORAL f English, Spanish
From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοράλλιον (korallion).
CORALIE f French
Either a French form of KORALIA, or a derivative of Latin corallium “coral” (see CORAL).
CORALINE f Literature, French
Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name CORALIE. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.
CORBIN m English
From a French surname that was derived from corbeau “raven”, originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
CORBINIAN m German (Rare)
Variant of KORBINIAN.
CORBINIANUS m Late Roman
Latin form of KORBINIAN.
CORD m German
German contracted form of CONRAD.
CORDELIA f English
From Cordeilla, possibly a Celtic name of unknown meaning. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Cordeilla was the youngest of the three daughters of King Lear and the only one to remain loyal to her father. When adapting the character for his play King Lear (1606), Shakespeare altered the spelling to Cordelia.
CORDELL m English
From a surname meaning “maker of cord” or “seller of cord” in Middle English.
CORDULA f German
Late Latin name meaning “heart” from Latin cor, cordis. Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
COREEN f English (Rare)
Variant of CORINNE.
CORENTIN m Breton, French
Possibly means “hurricane” in Breton. This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
CORETTA f English
Diminutive of CORA. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King.
COREY m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series Julia.
CORI f English
Feminine form of COREY.
CORIANDER f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
CORIE f English
Variant of CORRIE.
CORIN m French (Rare)
French form of QUIRINUS.
CORINA f English, German, Romanian
Variant of CORINNA.
CORINE f English
Variant of CORINNE.
CORINNA f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning “maiden”. This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna’s going a-Maying.
CORINNE f French, English
French form of CORINNA. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
CORMAC m Irish
Possibly derived from Irish Gaelic corb “raven” or “wheel” and mac “son”. This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Ireland.
CORMAG m Scottish
Scottish form of CORMAC.
CORNÉ m Dutch
Diminutive of CORNELIS.
CORNEILLE m French (Archaic)
French form of CORNELIUS.
CORNEL m Romanian
Romanian form of CORNELIUS.
CORNELIA f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CORNELIUS. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
CORNÉLIE f French
French form of CORNELIA.
CORNÉLIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CORNELIUS.
CORNELIO m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of CORNELIUS.
CORNELIS m Dutch
Dutch form of CORNELIUS.
CORNELIU m Romanian
Romanian form of CORNELIUS.
CORNELIUS m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, Biblical
Roman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element cornu meaning “horn”. In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
CORNELL m English
From a surname that was derived from the given name CORNELIUS.
CORONA f Late Roman, Italian, Spanish
Means “crown” in Latin, as well as Italian and Spanish. This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with her companion Victor.
CORONIS f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KORONIS.
CORRADINO m Italian
Diminutive of CORRADO.
CORRADO m Italian
Italian form of CONRAD. This was a 14th-century saint from Piacenza, Italy.
CORRAIDHÍN m Ancient Irish
Means “little spear”, derived from Irish corradh “spear” and a diminutive suffix.
CORRIE f English, Dutch
Diminutive of CORINNA, CORA, CORNELIA and other names starting with Cor. Since the 1970s it has also been used as a feminine form of COREY.
CORRINA f English
Variant of CORINNA.
CORRINE f English
Variant of CORINNE.
CORRY f Dutch
Diminutive of CORNELIA and other names starting with Cor.
CORTNEY f & m English
Variant of COURTNEY.
CORWIN m English
From an English surname, derived from Old French cordoan “leather”, ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of Cordova.
CORY m English
Variant of COREY.
CORYNN f English (Rare)
Variant of CORINNE.
COSETTE f French, Literature
From French chosette meaning “little thing”. This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
COSIMA f Italian
Italian feminine form of COSIMO.
COSIMO m Italian
Italian form of COSMAS. A famous bearer was Cosimo de’ Medici, the 15th-century founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.
COŞKUN m Turkish
Means “enthusiastic” in Turkish.
COSMA m Italian
Italian form of COSMAS.
COWESSESS m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
From Ojibwe Ka-we-zauce meaning “little child”. This was the name of a late 19th-century chief of the Saulteaux.
COY m English
From a surname that meant “quiet, shy, coy” from Middle English coi.
CRAIG m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic creag meaning “crag” or “rocks”, originally indicating a person who lived near a crag.
CRAWFORD m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning “crow ford” in Old English.
CREE m & f English (Rare)
From the name of a Native American tribe of central Canada. Their name derives via French from the Cree word kiristino.
CREIGHTON m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name, originally from Gaelic crioch “border” combined with Old English tun “town”.
CRESCENCIA f Spanish
Spanish form of CRESCENTIA.
CRESCENS m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from crescere “to grow”. This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul’s epistles in the New Testament.
CRESCENTIA f German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of CRESCENTIUS. Saint Crescentia was a 4th-century companion of Saint Vitus. This is also the name of the eponymous heroine of a 12th-century German romance.
CRESCENTIUS m Late Roman
Latin name that was a derivative of the name CRESCENS. This was the name of a few early saints, including a child martyred in Rome during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
CRESCENZO m Italian
Italian form of CRESCENTIUS.
CRESSIDA f Literature
Medieval form of CHRYSEIS. Various medieval tales describe her as a woman of Troy, daughter of Calchus, who leaves her Trojan lover Troilus for the Greek hero Diomedes. Shakespeare’s play Troilus and Cressida (1602) was based on these tales.
CREW m English (Rare)
Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning “weir”), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.
CRINA f Romanian
Derived from Romanian crin meaning “lily”.
CRÍOSTÓIR m Irish
Irish form of CHRISTOPHER.
CRISÓSTOMO m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of CHRYSOSTOMOS.
CRISPIAN m English (Archaic)
Medieval variant of CRISPIN.
CRISPIN m English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Crispinus, which was derived from the name CRISPUS. Saint Crispin was a 3rd-century Roman who was martyred with his twin brother Crispinian in Gaul. They are the patrons of shoemakers. They were popular saints in England during the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since that time.
CRISPINUS m Ancient Roman
Latin form of CRISPIN.
CRISPUS m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning “curly-haired” in Latin.
CRISTAL f English
Variant of CRYSTAL.
CRISTEN f English (Modern)
Variant of KRISTIN.
CRISTI m Romanian
Diminutive of CRISTIAN.
CRISTIÁN m Spanish
Spanish form of CHRISTIAN.
CRISTIAN m Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of CHRISTIAN.
CRISTIANA f Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of CHRISTINA.
CRISTIANO m Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of CHRISTIAN. A famous bearer is Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (1985-).
CRISTINA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Romanian form of CHRISTINA.
CRISTÓBAL m Spanish
Spanish form of CHRISTOPHER.
CRISTOFORO m Italian
Italian form of CHRISTOPHER.
CRISTÓVÃO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CHRISTOPHER.
CRIUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KREIOS.
CROCETTA f Italian
Diminutive of CROCIFISSA.
CROCIFISSA f Italian
Means “crucifix” in Italian.
CROFTON m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning “town with a small enclosed field” in Old English.
CRONUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *ker- meaning “to cut”. Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.
ČRT m Slovene
Short form of ČRTOMIR.
ČRTOMIR m Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements črt “hatred” and miru “peace, world”. This is the name of the hero in the Slovene national epic Baptism on the Savica (1835) by France Prešeren.
CRUZ f & m Spanish, Portuguese
Means “cross” in Spanish or Portuguese, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
CRUZITA f Spanish
Diminutive of CRUZ.
CRYSTAL f English
From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρύσταλλος (krystallos) meaning “ice”. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
CRYSTIN f Welsh
Welsh form of CHRISTINE.
CSABA m Hungarian
Possibly means either “shepherd” or “gift” in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of Attila the Hun.
CSANÁD m Hungarian
Derived from the old Hungarian name Csana, of unknown meaning. This was the name of an 11th-century ruler, also known as Cenad, of the Hungarian region that came to be called Csanád County (now split between Hungary and Romania).
CSENGE f Hungarian
Possibly derived from Hungarian cseng meaning “to ring, to clang”.
CSILLA f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian csillag meaning “star”. This name was created by the Hungarian author András Dugonics for an 1803 novel and later used and popularized by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty.
CSONGOR m Hungarian
Possibly from a Turkic root meaning “falcon”. The Hungarian poet and dramatist Mihály Vörösmarty used it in his play Csongor és Tünde (1830).
CTIBOR m Czech
Czech form of CZCIBOR.
CTIRAD m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements chisti meaning “honour” and rad meaning “happy, willing”. In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by Šárka.
CUA f Hmong
Means “wind” in Hmong.
CUÁN m Irish
Means “little wolf” or “little hound” from the Irish element cú meaning “wolf, hound” combined with a diminutive suffix.
CUAUHTÉMOC m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means “descending eagle” in Nahuatl. This was the name of the last Aztec emperor, ruling until he was captured and executed by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the year 1525.
CÚC f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 菊 (cúc) meaning “chrysanthemum”.
CÚCHULAINN m Irish Mythology
Means “hound of Culann” in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann’s hounds after he accidentally killed it. Irish legend tells of Cúchulainn’s many adventures, including his single-handed defense of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.
CUIDIGHTHEACH m Ancient Irish
Old Irish byname meaning “helpful”.
CUIMÍN m Irish
Possibly from Celtic cam meaning “bent, crooked”. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
CULHWCH m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means “hiding place of the pig” in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
CULLEN m English
From a surname, either CULLEN (1) or CULLEN (2).
CUMHUR m Turkish
Means “public, people” in Turkish.
CUNÉGONDE f French (Rare)
French form of KUNIGUNDE. Voltaire used this name in his novel Candide (1759).
CÜNEYT m Turkish
Turkish form of JUNAYD.
CUNIGUND f Ancient Germanic
Old Germanic form of KUNIGUNDE.
CUNMIN m Medieval Breton
Old Breton form of CUIMÍN.
CUNOBELINUS m Brythonic
Possibly means “hound of Belenus” from the old Celtic element koun “hound” combined with the name of the god BELENUS. This was the name of a 1st-century king of southeast Britain.
CUPID m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning “desire”. This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.
CUPIDO m Roman Mythology
Latin form of CUPID.
CURRO m Spanish
Andalusian diminutive of FRANCISCO.
CURT m English
Either a variant of KURT or short form of CURTIS.
CURTIS m English
From an English surname that originally meant “courteous” in Old French.
CUSMAAN m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of OSMAN.
CUSTÓDIA f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of CUSTODIO.
CUSTODIA f Spanish
Feminine form of CUSTODIO.
CUSTÓDIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CUSTODIO.
CUSTODIO m Spanish
Means “guardian” in Spanish, from Latin custodia “protection, safekeeping”.
CUTHBERHT m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of CUTHBERT.
CUTHBERT m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements cuþ “famous” and beorht “bright”. Saint Cuthbert was a 6th-century hermit who became the bishop of Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of England. He was known as performer of healing miracles. Because of the saint, this name remained in use in England even after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was (briefly) revived in the 19th century.
CVETA f Serbian
Serbian form of CVETKA.
CVETKA f Slovene
Derived from Slovene cvet meaning “blossom, flower”.
CVETKO m Slovene
Masculine form of CVETKA.
CVIJETA f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of CVETKA.
CVITA f Croatian
Croatian form of CVETKA.
CY m English
Short form of CYRUS or CYRIL.
CYAN f & m English (Rare)
From the English word meaning “greenish blue”, ultimately derived from Greek κύανος (kyanos).
CYBELE f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either “stone” or “hair”. This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
CYBILL f English (Rare)
Variant of SIBYL. This name was borne by actress Cybill Shepherd (1950-), who was named after her grandfather Cy and her father Bill.
CYNEHEARD m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and heard “brave, hardy”.
CYNEMÆR m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and mær “famous”.
CYNERIC m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and ric “ruler”.
CYNESIGE m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and sige “victory”.
CYNEWEARD m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and weard “guard”.
CYNTHIA f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means “woman from Kynthos”. This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Kynthos was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
CYNWRIG m Ancient Welsh
Derived from Welsh cyn meaning “chief” and gwr meaning “hero, man”, plus the suffix ig indicating “has the quality of”.
CYPRIAN m Polish, English (Rare)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant “from Cyprus”. Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage and a martyr under the emperor Valerian.
CYPRIANUS m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of CYPRIAN.
CYPRIEN m French
French form of Cyprianus (see CYPRIAN).
CYRA f History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning unknown. Saint Cyra was a 5th-century Syrian hermit who was martyred with her companion Marana.
CYRANO m Literature
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He based his character upon a real person, Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, a French satirist of the 17th century.
CYRIACA f Late Roman
Feminine form of CYRIACUS.
CYRIACUS m Late Roman
Latinized form of the Greek name Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant “of the lord” (derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning “lord”). This was the name of a few early saints.
CYRIELLE f French
French feminine form of CYRIL.
CYRIL m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning “lord”, a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus…. [more]
CYRILLA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of CYRIL.
CYRILLE m & f French
French form of CYRIL, sometimes used as a feminine form.
CYRILLUS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of KYRILLOS.
CYRUS m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From Κῦρος (Kyros), the Greek form of the Persian name Kūrush, which may mean “far sighted” or “young”. The name is sometimes associated with Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning “lord”. It was borne by several kings of Persia, including Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
CYRYL m Polish
Polish form of CYRIL.
CYSTENNIN m Welsh
Welsh form of CONSTANTINE.
CZCIBOR m Polish (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements chisti “honour” and borti “battle”.
CZESŁAW m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements chisti “honour” and slava “glory”.
CZESŁAWA f Polish
Feminine form of CZESŁAW.
CYDNEY f English (Modern)
Variant of SYDNEY.
CYMBELINE m Literature
Form of CUNOBELINUS used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).
CYMONE f English (Rare)
Variant of SIMONE (1).
CYNBEL m Ancient Welsh
Derived from Welsh cyn “chief” and bel “war”.
CYNDI f English
Short form of CYNTHIA.
CYNEBALD m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne “royal” and beald “bold”.
CYNEBURG f Anglo-Saxon
Means “royal fortress” from Old English cyne “royal” and burg “fortress”. Saint Cyneburga, a daughter of a king of Mercia, was the founder of an abbey at Gloucester in the 7th century.
CYNEBURGA f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)
Variant of CYNEBURG.
CYNEFRITH m Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)
Variant of CYNEFRIÐ.
CYNEFRIÐ m Anglo-Saxon
Means “royal peace” from Old English cyne “royal” and friþ “peace”.
