CAINAN m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Variant of KENAN.
CAINNEACH m Irish
Irish form of COINNEACH.
CAIO m Portuguese, Italian
Portuguese and Italian form of GAIUS.
CADMUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
CADOC m Welsh
Derived from Welsh cad meaning “battle”. This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who was martyred by the Saxons.
CADOGAN m Welsh, Irish
Anglicized form of CADWGAN.
CADWALADER m Welsh
Means “leader of the battle” from Welsh cad “battle” and gwaladr “leader”. This was the name of a Welsh saint of the 7th century.
CADWGAN m Welsh
Means “glory in battle” from Welsh cad “battle” and gwogawn “glory, honour”. In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, this name is briefly mentioned as the son of Iddon.
CAECILIA f Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of CECILIA.
CAECILIUS m Ancient Roman
Original Latin masculine form of CECILIA.
CAEDMON m History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic kad meaning “battle”. Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the historian Bede.
CÁEL m Irish Mythology
From Irish caol meaning “slender”. In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.
CAELAN m & f English (Rare)
Anglicized form of CAOLÁN or CAOILFHIONN.
CAELESTINUS m Late Roman
Late Latin name, a derivative of CAELESTIS. This name was borne by five popes (usually spelled Celestine in English).
CAELESTIS m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning “of the sky, heavenly”.
CAELIA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CAELIUS.
CAELIE f English (Rare)
Variant of KAYLEE.
CAELINA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CAELINUS.
CAELINUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was itself derived from the Roman family name CAELIUS.
CAELIUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin caelum meaning “heaven”.
CAERWYN m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer “fortress” and gwyn “white, fair”.
CABDIRAXMAN m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of ABD AL-RAHMAN.
CABDULLAAHI m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of ABD ALLAH.
CABDULQAADIR m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of ABD AL-QADIR.
CÄCILIA f German
German form of CECILIA.
CÄCILIE f German
German form of CECILIA.
CADE m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a nickname meaning “round” in Old English.
CADELL m Welsh
From Welsh cad “battle” and a diminutive suffix.
CADEN m English (Modern)
Sometimes explained as a derivative of the Irish surname Caden, which is a reduced form of the Irish Gaelic Mac Cadáin meaning “son of Cadán”. In actuality, its popularity in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound – it shares its fashionable den suffix sound with other popular names like Hayden, Aidan and Braden.
CADENCE f English (Modern)
From an English word meaning “rhythm, flow”. It has been in use only since the 20th century.
CADERINA f Sardinian
Sardinian form of KATHERINE.
CADEYRN m Ancient Welsh
Means “battle king” from Welsh cad “battle” and teyrn “king, monarch”. Cadeyrn (also known as Catigern) was a 5th-century king of Powys in Wales, the son of Vortigern.
CADFAEL m Welsh
Means “battle prince” from Welsh cad “battle” and mael “prince”.
CADFAN m Welsh
Means “battle peak” from Welsh cad “battle” and ban “peak”. Saint Cadfan, from Brittany, was a 6th-century missionary to Wales.
CADI f Welsh
Short form of CATRIN.
CAESAR m Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen that possibly meant “hairy”, from Latin caesaries “hair”. Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.
CAESARIUS m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from CAESAR. Saint Caesarius was a 6th-century bishop of Arles.
CAESO m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin caesius meaning “blue-grey”. This praenomen was only used by a few families.
CAESONIA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CAESONIUS. This name was borne by Milonia Caesonia, the last wife of the Roman emperor Caligula.
CAESONIUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from the praenomen CAESO.
CAETANA f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).
CAETANO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).
CAETLIN f English (Rare)
Variant of CAITLIN.
CƏFƏR m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of JAFAR.
CAFER m Turkish
Turkish form of JAFAR.
ÇAĞATAY m Turkish
From the Mongolian name Tsagadai (of unknown meaning), which was borne by the second son of Genghis Khan, known as Chagatai in English.
ÇAĞLA f Turkish
Means “almonds” in Turkish.
ÇAĞRI f Turkish
Means “invitation” in Turkish.
CAHAL m Irish
Anglicized form of CATHAL.
CAHAYA m & f Indonesian, Malay
Means “light” in Malay and Indonesian.
CAHIR m Irish
Anglicized form of CATHAIR.
CAHYA m & f Indonesian
Variant of CAHAYA.
CAHYO m & f Javanese
Javanese form of CAHAYA.
CAI (1) m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Variant of KAI (1).
CAI (2) m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Welsh form of KAY (2).
CAIAPHAS m Biblical
Meaning unknown, probably of Aramaic origin. In the New Testament this is the name of the Jewish high priest who condemns Jesus.
CAIDEN m English (Modern)
Variant of CADEN.
CAIETANUS m Late Roman
Latin form of GAETANO.
CAILEAN m Scottish
Means “whelp, young dog” in Gaelic. This name is also used as a Scottish form of COLUMBA.
CAILEIGH f English (Rare)
Variant of KAYLEIGH.
CAILIN f English (Rare)
Variant of KAYLYN. It also coincides with the Irish word cailín meaning “girl”.
CAILYN f English (Modern)
Variant of KAYLYN.
CAIN m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means “acquired” in Hebrew. In Genesis in the Old Testament Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve. He killed his brother Abel after God accepted Abel’s offering of meat instead of his offering of plant-based foods. After this Cain was banished to be a wanderer.
CAIRBRE m Irish
Means “charioteer” in Irish. This was the name of two semi-legendary high kings of Ireland.
CAIRISTÌONA f Scottish
Scottish form of CHRISTINA.
CAIRO m English (Modern)
From the name of the city in Egypt, called القاهرة (al-Qahirah) in Arabic, meaning “the victorious”.
CAISHEN m Chinese Mythology
Means “god of wealth”, from Chinese 财 (cái) meaning “wealth, riches” and 神 (shén) meaning “god”. This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.
CAISIDE m Ancient Irish
Old Irish byname meaning “curly haired”, from Irish Gaelic cas.
CÁIT f Irish
Short form of CAITRÍONA.
CAITLÍN f Irish
Irish form of Cateline, the Old French form of KATHERINE.
CAITLIN f Irish, English
Anglicized form of CAITLÍN.
CAITLYN f English (Modern)
Variant of CAITLIN.
CAITRIA f Irish
Possibly a form of CAITRÍONA.
CAITRÍONA f Irish
Irish form of KATHERINE.
CAITRÌONA f Scottish
Scottish form of KATHERINE.
CAIUS m Ancient Roman
Roman variant of GAIUS.
CAJ m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Variant of KAI (1).
CAJA f Danish
Variant of KAJA (1).
CAJETAN m History (Ecclesiastical)
English form of CAIETANUS.
CAJSA f Swedish
Variant of KAJSA.
CAL m English
Short form of CALVIN.
CALANTHE f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning “beautiful flower”, derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning “beautiful” and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning “flower”.
CALANTHIA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of CALANTHE.
CALBHACH m Irish
Means “bald” in Irish Gaelic.
CALE m English
Short form of CALEB.
CALEB m English, Biblical
Most likely related to Hebrew כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning “dog”. An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew כָּל (kal) meaning “whole, all of” and לֵב (lev) meaning “heart”. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land…. [more]
CALEIGH f English (Modern)
Variant of KAYLEIGH or CALLIE.
CALFURAY f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means “violet (flower)” in Mapuche.
CALI (1) f English (Modern)
Variant of CALLIE.
CALI (2) m Eastern African, Somali
Somali form of ALI (1).
CALIGULA m History
Means “little boot” in Latin. This was a nickname for the Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father’s soldiers.
CALISTA f English, Portuguese, Spanish
Feminine form of CALLISTUS. As an English name it might also be a variant of KALLISTO.
CALISTO m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of CALLISTUS.
CALIXTA f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of CALIXTUS.
CALIXTE m French
French form of CALIXTUS.
CALIXTO m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of CALIXTUS.
CALIXTUS m Late Roman
Variant of CALLISTUS, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin calix “wine cup”. This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
CALLA f English
From the name of a type of lily, of Latin origin. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning “beauty”.
CALLAHAN m English
From a surname, the Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Ceallacháin, which means “descendant of CEALLACHÁN“.
CALLAN m English
From a surname, the Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Cathaláin, which means “descendant of CATHALÁN“.
CALLEIGH f English (Modern)
Variant of CALLIE.
CALLIAS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of KALLIAS.
CALLIE f English
Diminutive of CAROLINE, or sometimes of names beginning with Cal.
CALLINICUS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of KALLINIKOS.
CALLIOPE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KALLIOPE.
CALLIRRHOE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Καλλιρρόη (Kallirrhoe), derived from the word καλλίρρους (kallirrhous) meaning “beautiful flowing”. This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including a daughter of Achelous. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.
CALLISTA f English (Rare)
Variant of CALISTA.
CALLISTO (1) m Italian
Italian form of CALLISTUS.
CALLISTO (2) f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KALLISTO. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.
CALLISTUS m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning “most beautiful”. This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
CALLIXTUS m Late Roman
Variant of CALLISTUS, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin calix “wine cup”. This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
CALLUM m Scottish
Variant of CALUM.
CALOGERA f Italian
Feminine form of CALOGERO.
CALOGERO m Italian
From the Late Latin name Calogerus meaning “beautiful elder”, from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning “beautiful” and γέρων (geron) meaning “old man, elder”. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a hermit of Sicily.
CALOGERUS m Late Roman
Latin form of CALOGERO.
CALPURNIA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CALPURNIUS. This was the name of Julius Caesar’s last wife.
CALPURNIUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, which was possibly derived from Latin calpar meaning “chalice, cup”.
CALUM m Scottish
Scottish form of COLUMBA.
CALVAGH m Irish
Anglicized form of CALBHACH.
CALVIN m English
Derived from the French surname Cauvin, which was derived from chauve meaning “bald”. The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as Calvinus (based on Latin calvus “bald”) and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.
CALVUS m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning “bald” in Latin.
CALYPSO f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant “she that conceals”, derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning “to cover, to conceal”. In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.
CAM (1) f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 柑 (cam) meaning “orange (fruit)”.
CAM (2) m & f English
Short form of CAMERON.
CAMBRIA f Various
Latin form of the Welsh Cymru, the Welsh name for the country of Wales, derived from cymry meaning “the people”. It is occasionally used as a given name in modern times.
CAMBYSES m History
From Καμβύσης (Kambyses), the Greek form of the Old Persian name Kambujiya, which is of unknown meaning. Two Persian kings bore this name, including Cambyses II who conquered Egypt.
CAMDEN m English (Modern)
From a 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).
CAMÉLIA f French
French form of CAMELLIA.
CAMELIA f Romanian
From camelie, the Romanian spelling of camellia (see CAMELLIA).
CAMELLIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
CAMERON m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning “crooked nose” from Gaelic cam “crooked” and sròn “nose”.
CAMILA f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of CAMILLA.
CAMILLA f English, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of CAMILLUS. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney’s novel Camilla (1796).
CAMILLE f & m French, English
French feminine and masculine form of CAMILLA. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
CAMILLO m Italian
Italian form of CAMILLUS.
CAMILLUS m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin camillus “a youth employed in religious services”. This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
CAMILO m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of CAMILLUS.
CAMMIE f English
Diminutive of CAMILLA.
CAMPBELL m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning “crooked mouth” from Gaelic cam “crooked” and béul “mouth”.
CAMRON m English (Modern)
Variant of CAMERON.
CAMRYN f & m English (Modern)
Variant of CAMERON.
CAN m Turkish
Means “soul, life” or by extension “darling, sweetheart” in Turkish, from Persian جان (jan).
CANAAN m Biblical
Meaning unknown. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Ham. He is said to be the ancestor of the Canaanite people.
CANAN f Turkish
Means “sweetheart, beloved” in Turkish.
CANDACE f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic kdke meaning “queen mother”. In some versions of the Bible it is spelled Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie Meet the Stewarts.
CANDE f & m Spanish
Short form of CANDELARIA or CANDELARIO.
CANDELA f Spanish
Short form of CANDELARIA.
CANDELARIA f Spanish
Means “Candlemas” in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish candela “candle”. This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary.
CANDELARIO m Spanish
Masculine form of CANDELARIA.
CANDELAS f Spanish
Diminutive of CANDELARIA.
CANDI f English
Variant of CANDY.
CANDICE f English
Variant of CANDACE.
CÁNDIDA f Spanish
Spanish form of CANDIDA.
CÂNDIDA f Portuguese
Portuguese form of CANDIDA.
CANDIDA f Late Roman, English
Late Latin name derived from candidus meaning “white”. This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw’s play Candida (1898).
CANDIDE m & f French
French form of CANDIDUS or CANDIDA.
CÁNDIDO m Spanish
Spanish form of CANDIDUS.
CÂNDIDO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of CANDIDUS.
CANDIDO m Italian
Italian form of CANDIDUS.
CANDIDUS m Late Roman
Masculine form of CANDIDA. This name was borne by a few early saints and martyrs.
CANDIS f English
Variant of CANDACE.
CANDY f English
Diminutive of CANDACE. It is also influenced by the English word candy.
CANDYCE f English
Variant of CANDACE.
CANER m Turkish
From Turkish can meaning “soul, life” and er meaning “brave man”.
CANSU f Turkish
From Turkish can meaning “soul, life” and su meaning “water”.
CANUTE m History
Anglicized form of KNUT.
CAOILEANN f Irish
Variant of CAOILFHIONN.
CAOILFHIONN f Irish
Derived from the Irish elements caol “slender” and fionn “fair”. This was the name of several Irish saints.
CAOILINN f Irish
Variant of CAOILFHIONN.
CAOIMHE f Irish, Scottish
Derived from Gaelic caomh meaning “beautiful, gentle, kind”.
CAOIMHÍN m Irish
Irish form of KEVIN.
CAOLÁN m Irish
From Irish caol meaning “slender” combined with the diminutive suffix án.
CAOMH m Ancient Irish
Masculine form of CAOIMHE.
CAOMHÁN m Ancient Irish
Diminutive of CAOMH. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
CAPRICE f English
From the English word meaning “impulse”, ultimately (via French) from Italian capriccio.
CAPRICIA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of CAPRICE.
CAPRINA f Various
From the name of the Italian island of Capri.
CAPUCINE f French
Means “nasturtium” in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).
CARA f English
From an Italian word meaning “beloved”. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
CARACALLA m Ancient Roman
From Latin caracalla, which referred to a type of hooded tunic worn by the Gauls. This was the agnomen, or nickname, of a 3rd-century Roman emperor.
CARADOC m Welsh
Variant of CARADOG.
CARADOG m Welsh
Welsh form of CARATACOS. This is the name of several figures in Welsh history and legend, including a 6th-century king of Gwent and a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian romance.
CARAMIA f Various
From the Italian phrase cara mia meaning “my beloved”.
CARATACOS m Brythonic
Derived from the Celtic element car meaning “love”. This was the name of a 1st-century British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule.
CARATACUS m Brythonic (Latinized)
Latinized form of CARATACOS.
CARBREY m Irish
Anglicized form of CAIRBRE.
CARBRY m Irish
Anglicized form of CAIRBRE.
CARDEA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin cardo meaning “hinge, axis”. This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
CAREEN f English (Rare)
Variant of CARREEN.
CAREL m Dutch
Dutch form of CHARLES.
CAREN f English
Variant of KAREN (1).
CAREY m & f English
From an Irish surname that was derived from Ó Ciardha meaning “descendant of CIARDHA“.
CARI f English
Variant of CARRIE.
CARIDAD f Spanish
Spanish cognate of CHARITY.
CARIN f Swedish
Variant of KARIN.
CARINA (1) f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from cara 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.
CARINA (2) f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
Variant of KARINA.
CARINE f French
French form of CARINA (1). It can also function as a short form of CATHERINE, via Swedish Karin.
CARIS f English (Rare)
Variant of CHARIS.
CARISSA f English
Variant of CHARISSA.
CARITA f Swedish
Derived from Latin caritas meaning “dearness, esteem, love”.
CARL m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German form of CHARLES. Two noteworthy bearers of the name were 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.
CARLA f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, English, German, Dutch
Feminine form of CARLO, CARLOS or CARL.
CARLENE f English
Feminine diminutive of CARL.
CARLES m Catalan
Catalan form of CHARLES.
CARLETON m English
Variant of CHARLTON.
CARLEY f English (Modern)
Feminine form of CARL.
CARLIE f English
Feminine form of CARL.
CARLIJN f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of CAREL.
CARLINHOS m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of CARLOS.
CARLISA f English (Rare)
Combination of CARLA and LISA.
CARLISLE m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans Luguvalium meaning “stronghold of LUGUS“. Later the Brythonic element ker “fort” was appended to the name of the city.
CARLITO m Spanish, Portuguese
Diminutive of CARLOS.
CARLITOS m Spanish, Portuguese
Diminutive of CARLOS.
CARLMAN m Ancient Germanic
Germanic form of CARLOMAN.
CARLO m Italian
Italian form of CHARLES.
CARLOMAN m History, Ancient Germanic
From a Germanic name derived from karl (see CHARLES) and man “man”. This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother Charlemagne for a time.
CARLOS m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of CHARLES.
CARLOTA f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of CHARLOTTE.
CARLOTTA f Italian
Italian form of CHARLOTTE.
CARLTON m English
Variant of CHARLTON.
CARLU m Corsican
Corsican form of CHARLES.
CARLY f English
Feminine form of CARL.
CARLYLE m English
Variant of CARLISLE.
CARLYN f English
Contracted variant of CAROLINE.
CARME (1) f Galician, Catalan
Galician and Catalan form of CARMEL.
CARME (2) f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάρμη (Karme), which was derived from κείρω (keiro) meaning “to shear”. This was the name of a Cretan goddess of the harvest.
CARMEL f English, Jewish
From the title of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of Carmel. כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning “garden” in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics.
CARMELA f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of CARMEL.
CARMELITA f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of CARMEL.
CARMELLA f English
Latinized form of CARMEL.
CARMELO m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian masculine form of CARMEL.
CARMEN f Spanish, English, Italian, Romanian
Medieval Spanish form of CARMEL influenced by the Latin word carmen “song”. This was the name of the main character in George Bizet’s opera Carmen (1875).
CARMI m Biblical
Means “vine” in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Reuben in the Old Testament.
CARMINA f Italian, Spanish
Variant of CARMEN.
CARMINE m Italian
Italian masculine form of CARMEN.
CARMINHO f Portuguese
Diminutive of CARMO. It has been popularized in Portugal by the singer simply known as Carminho (1984-).
CARMO m & f Portuguese
Portuguese form of CARMEL.
CAROL (1) f & m English
Short form of CAROLINE. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from CAROLUS. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means “song” or “hymn”.
CAROL (2) m Romanian
Romanian form of CAROLUS. This was the name of two Romanian kings.
CAROLA f Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish
Feminine form of CAROLUS.
CAROLE f French
French feminine form of CAROLUS.
CAROLIEN f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of CAROLUS.
CAROLIN f German
German feminine form of CAROLUS.
CAROLINA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of CAROLUS. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
CAROLINE f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine form of CAROLUS.
CAROLUS m Ancient Germanic (Latinized)
Latin form of CHARLES.
CAROLYN f English
Variant of CAROLINE.
CARON f & m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning “to love”.
CARPUS m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latin form of the Greek name Καρπός (Karpos), which meant “fruit, profits”. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament in the second epistle of Timothy.
CARRAN m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Corraidhín meaning “descendant of CORRAIDHÍN“.
CARREEN f English (Rare)
Used by Margaret Mitchell in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936), where it is a combination of CAROLINE and IRENE.
CARRIE f English
Diminutive of CAROLINE.
CARROL m & f English
Variant of CARROLL (masculine) or CAROL (1) (feminine).
CARROLL m Irish
Anglicized form of CEARBHALL. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
CARRY f English
Diminutive of CAROLINE.
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).
CARSTEN m Low German, Danish
Variant of KARSTEN.
CARTER m English
From an English surname that meant “one who uses a cart”. A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
CÁRTHACH m Irish
Means “loving” in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
CARVER m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant “wood carver”.
CARWYN m Welsh
Means “blessed love” from Welsh caru “to love” and gwyn “white, fair, blessed”.
CARY m & f English
Variant of CAREY. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
CARYL f English
Variant of CAROL (1).
CARYN f English
Variant of KAREN (1).
CARYS f Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning “love”. This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
CAS m Dutch
Short form of CASPER.
CASANDRA f Spanish, Romanian
Spanish and Romanian form of CASSANDRA.
CASE m English (Modern)
Short form of CASEY.
CASEY m & f English, Irish
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cathasaigh meaning “descendant of CATHASACH“. 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”. A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
CASIMIR m English, French
English form of the Polish name Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element kaziti “to destroy” combined with miru “peace, world”. Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.
CASIMIRO m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of CASIMIR.
CASON m English (Modern)
From a surname derived from the English place name Cawston, itself derived from the Old Norse given name KÁLFR combined with Old English tun meaning “enclosure, yard, town”.
CASPAR m Judeo-Christian Legend
Latin variant of JASPER.
CASPER m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Dutch and Scandinavian form of JASPER. This is the name of a friendly ghost in an American series of cartoons and comic books (beginning 1945).
CASPIAN m Literature
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
CASS f & m English
Short form of CASSANDRA, CASSIDY, and other names beginning with Cass.
CASSANDER m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of CASSANDRA. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.
CASSANDRA f English, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning “to excel, to shine” and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning “man” (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies…. [more]
CASSARAH f English (Rare)
Recently created name intended to mean “what will be, will be”. It is from the title of the 1956 song Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase che sarà sarà. The phrase que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.
CÁSSIA f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of CASSIUS.
CASSIA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CASSIUS.
CASSIAN m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from CASSIUS. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.
CASSIANUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was a derivative of CASSIUS.
CASSIDY f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname that was derived from Ó Caiside meaning “descendant of CAISIDE“.
CASSIE f English
Diminutive of CASSANDRA and other names beginning with Cass.
CASSIEL m Judeo-Christian Legend
From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi’el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include “speed of God” or “cover of God”. This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
CASSIOPEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of CASSIOPEIA.
CASSIOPEIA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning “cassia juice”. In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
CASSIUS m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning “empty, vain”. This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
CASTOR m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning “to excel, to shine” (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning “beaver”, though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
CAT f & m English
Diminutive of CATHERINE. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
CATAHECASSA m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means “black hoof” in Shawnee. This was the name of a Shawnee warrior and chief of the 18th century.
CĂTĂLIN m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of KATHERINE.
CĂTĂLINA f Romanian
Romanian form of KATHERINE.
CATALINA f Spanish, Corsican
Spanish and Corsican form of KATHERINE.
CATARINA f Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of KATHERINE.
CATE f English (Rare)
Variant of KATE. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).
CATELINE f Medieval French
Medieval French form of KATHERINE.
