View source for Given name

{{Short description|Part of a personal name}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}

<!--Note: THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A LIST OF FIRST NAMES. Before adding further examples to those already supplied, consider whether they demonstrate anything that the current examples do not and consider explaining your reasoning on the discussion page.
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[[Image:FML names-2.png|thumb|Diagram of naming conventions, using [[John F. Kennedy]] as an example. "First names" can also be called given names, forenames, or, in some places at some times, Christian names; "last names" can also be called family names or [[surname]]s. This shows a structure typical for English-speaking cultures (and some others). Other cultures use other structures for full names.]]
[[File:Desideria of Sweden & Norway grave 2007.jpg|thumb|The sarcophagus at [[Riddarholm Church]] in Sweden of [[Queen Desideria]], an official name given to [[Désirée Clary]] not at birth but when she was elected [[Crown princess of Sweden|Crown Princess of Sweden]] in 1810.]]

A '''given name''' (also known as a '''forename''' or '''first name''') is the part of a [[personal name]]<ref name="grigg-1991">{{cite news |last=Grigg |first=John |author-link=John Grigg |date=2 November 1991 |title=The Times |quote=In the last century and well into the present one, grown-up British people, with rare exceptions, addressed each other by their surnames. What we now call first names (then Christian names) were very little used outside the family. Men who became friends would drop the Mr and use their bare surnames as a mark of intimacy: e.g. [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] and [[Dr. Watson|Watson]]. First names were only generally used for, and among, children. Today we have gone to the other extreme. People tend to be on first-name terms from the moment of introduction, and surnames are often hardly mentioned. Moreover, first names are relentlessly abbreviated, particularly in the media: Susan becomes [[Sue Lawley|Sue]], Terrence [[Terry Wogan|Terry]] and Robert [[Bob Holness|Bob]] not only to friends and relations, but to millions who know these people only as faces and/or voices. |title-link=The Times}} quoted in {{cite book |last=Burchfield |first=R. W. |url=https://archive.org/details/newfowlersmodern00fowl |title=The New Fowler's Modern English Usage |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-19-969036-7 |edition=3rd |page=512 |publisher=Oxford University Press |author-link=Robert Burchfield |url-access=registration}}</ref> that identifies a person, potentially with a [[middle name]] as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a [[family]] or [[clan]]) who have a common [[surname]]. The term ''given name'' refers to a [[name]] usually bestowed at or close to the time of birth, usually by the parents of the newborn. A ''[[Christian name]]'' is the first name which is given at [[baptism]], in Christian custom.

In informal situations, given names are often used in a familiar and friendly manner.<ref name="grigg-1991" /> In more formal situations, a person's surname is more commonly used. In Western culture, the idioms "{{Wikt-lang|en|on a first-name basis|italic=no}}" and "being on first-name terms" refer to the familiarity inherent in addressing someone by their given name.<ref name="grigg-1991" />

By contrast, a surname (also known as a family name, last name, or [[Gentile name|''gentile'' name]]) is normally inherited and shared with other members of one's immediate family.<ref>"A name given to a person at birth or at baptism, as distinguished from a surname" – according to the [http://www.bartleby.com/61/61/G0136100.html American Heritage Dictionary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211173759/http://www.bartleby.com/61/61/G0136100.html|date=11 December 2008}}</ref> [[Regnal name]]s and [[Religious name|religious or monastic names]] are special given names bestowed upon someone receiving a crown or entering a religious order; such a person then typically becomes known chiefly by that name.

==Name order==
{{see also|Personal name#Name order}}
The order ''given name – family name'', commonly known as ''Western name order'', is used throughout most [[Europe]]an countries and in countries that have cultures predominantly influenced by European culture, including [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]; [[North India|North]], [[East India|East]], [[Central India|Central]] and [[Western India|West India]]; [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and the [[Philippines]].

The order ''family name – given name'', commonly known as ''Eastern name order'', is primarily used in [[East Asia]] (for example in [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]], [[Taiwan]], [[Singapore]], and [[Vietnam]], among others, and by [[Malaysian Chinese]]), as well as in [[South India|Southern]] and [[Northeast India|North-Eastern]] parts of [[India]], and as a standard in [[Hungary]]. This order is also used to various degrees and in specific contexts in other European countries, such as [[Austria]] and adjacent areas of [[Germany]] (that is, [[Bavaria]]<!-- Bavaria is a county/state of Germany, not a country -->),{{NoteTag|However, the ''family name – given name'' order is used only in informal or traditional contexts. The official naming order in [[Austria]] and [[Bavaria]] is ''given name – family name''.}} and in [[France]], [[Switzerland]], [[Belgium]], [[Greece]] and [[Italy]],{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} possibly because of the influence of bureaucracy, which commonly puts the family name before the given name. In China and Korea, [[generation name|part of the given name]] may be shared among all members of a given generation within a family and extended family or families, in order to differentiate those generations from other generations.

The order ''given name – father's family name – mother's family name'' is commonly used in several [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking countries to acknowledge the families of both parents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WAG 25-02-07-b: SSN Applicants with Spanish Surnames |url=https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=16780 |website=Illinois Department of Human Services}}</ref>

The order ''given name – mother's family name – father's family name'' is commonly used in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]-speaking countries to acknowledge the families of both parents. Today, people in Spain and Uruguay can rearrange the order of their names legally to this order.

The order ''given name – father's given name – grandfather's given name'' (often referred to as ''triple name'') is the official naming order used in [[Arabic]] countries (for example [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iraq]] and [[United Arab Emirates]]).

=={{anchor|Compound}}Multiple and compound given names==
{{See also|Surname#Compound surnames{{!}}Compound surname|Double-barrelled name{{!}}Double surname}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Double name|Dual naming{{!}}Double place naming|Tautonym|Reduplication}}

In many [[Western culture]]s, people often have multiple given names. Most often the first one in sequence is the one that a person goes by, although exceptions are not uncommon, such as in the cases of [[John Edgar Hoover]] (J. Edgar) and [[Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland]] (Barbara).
The given name might also be used in compound form, as in, for example, [[John Paul (given name)|John Paul]] or a hyphenated style like [[Bengt-Arne Wallin|Bengt-Arne]]. A [[middle name]] might be part of a compound given name or might be, instead, a [[maiden name]], a [[patronymic]], or a [[baptismal name]].

[[File:Alexander Graham Bell (signature).svg|thumb|252px|right|The signature of [[Alexander Graham Bell]].]]

In England, it was unusual for a person to have more than one given name until the seventeenth century when Charles James Stuart ([[Charles I of England|King Charles I]]) was baptised with two names. That was a French fashion, which spread to the English aristocracy, following the royal example, then spread to the general population and became common by the end of the eighteenth century.<ref name=Coates>{{citation |chapter=Onomastics |pages=346–347 |first=Richard |last=Coates |title=The Cambridge History of the English Language |volume=4 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-521-26477-8}}</ref>

Some double-given names for women were used at the start of the eighteenth century but were used together as a unit: Anna Maria, Mary Anne and Sarah Jane. Those became stereotyped as the typical names of servants and so became unfashionable in the nineteenth century.{{cn|date=August 2025}}

Double names remain popular in the [[Southern United States]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 October 2022 |title=How The Double-Name Trend Started And Stayed In The South|url=https://www.southernliving.com/culture/double-names-souther-tradition |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=Southern Living}}</ref>

Double names are also common among [[Vietnamese names]] to make repeated name in the family. For example, Đặng Vũ Minh Anh and Đặng Vũ Minh Ánh, are two sisters with the given names Minh Anh and Minh Ánh.

In some cultures there is a tradition to use the full name of a respectable person as an inseparable compound given name.<ref>[https://bdespain.org/S&L/angs/angs330.htm Section 3: NAMES BY ADAPTATION]</ref> Examples include [[Thomas Jefferson (disambiguation)|Thomas Jefferson]] in honor of [[Thomas Jefferson]], the third president of the United States, and [[Johann Nepomuk]] (and variants in other languages) honoring [[John of Nepomuk]], Czech saint.

Another tradition of compound given names are [[pleonasm#Bilingual tautological expressions|bilingual Hebrew-Yiddish tautological name]]s, such as [[Aryeh Leib]], where both parts mean "lion" in Hebrew and Yiddish respectively.

==Initials==<!-- The hat note of [[Initial]] links to this section name -->
Sometimes, a given name is used as just an initial, especially in combination with the middle initial (such as with [[H. G. Wells]]), and more rarely as an initial while the middle name is not one (such as with [[L. Ron Hubbard]]).

== Legal status ==
A child's given name or names are usually chosen by the parents soon after birth. If a name is not assigned at birth, one may be given at a [[naming ceremony]], with family and friends in attendance. In most jurisdictions, a child's name at birth is a matter of public record, inscribed on a [[birth certificate]], or its equivalent. In Western cultures, people normally retain the same given name throughout their lives. However, in some cases these names may be changed by following legal processes or by repute. People may also change their names when immigrating from one country to another with different naming conventions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/Static_Files_Memoranda/Archives%201998-2008/2005/namingcnv091305.pdf |title=Naming Conventions; Use of Full Legal Name on All USCIS Issued Documents |access-date=26 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218113447/https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/Static_Files_Memoranda/Archives%201998-2008/2005/namingcnv091305.pdf |archive-date=18 December 2019 |date=13 September 2005 }}</ref>

In certain jurisdictions, a government-appointed registrar of births may refuse to register a name for the reasons that it may cause a child harm, that it is considered offensive, or if it is deemed impractical. In France, the agency can refer the case to a local judge. Some jurisdictions, such as Sweden, restrict the spelling of names.{{NoteTag|Protesting Swedish naming laws, in 1996, two parents attempted to name their child [[Naming law in Sweden#Protest names|Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116]], stating that it was "a pregnant, expressionistic development that we see as an artistic creation".<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6525475.stm |title=BBC NEWS - Entertainment - Baby named Metallica rocks Sweden |date=4 April 2007}}</ref>}} In Denmark, one does not need to register a given name for the child until the child is six months old, and in some cases, one can even wait a little longer than this before the child gets an official name.

==Origins and meanings==
{{Original research|section|date=June 2020}}
[[File:Yohanan name evolution.svg|thumb|350px|''[[:wikt:John#English|John]]'', a name of Hebrew origin, is very popular in the Western World, and has given many variants depending on the language: ''[[:wikt:Shaun#English|Shaun]]'', ''[[:wikt:Eoin#Irish|Eoin]]'', ''[[:wikt:Ian#English|Ian]]'', ''[[:wikt:Juan#English|Juan]]'', ''[[:wikt:Ivan#English|Ivan]]'', and ''[[:wikt:Yahya#English|Yahya]]''. Click on the image to see the diagram in full detail.]]
<!-- These are examples and not exhaustive lists. Lists of first names exist at Wiktionary. Before adding any more examples please discuss on talk page.-->
Parents may choose a name because of its meaning. This may be a personal or familial meaning, such as giving a child the name of an admired person, or it may be an example of [[nominative determinism]], in which the parents give the child a name that they believe will be lucky or favourable for the child. Given names most often derive from the following categories:
* Aspirational personal traits (external and internal). For example, the male names:
**Clement ("merciful");<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/c/origin-and-meaning-of-clement.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Clement |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121035226/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/c/origin-and-meaning-of-clement.htm |archive-date=21 November 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/c/origin-and-meaning-of-clemens.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Clemens |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121034051/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/c/origin-and-meaning-of-clemens.htm |archive-date=21 November 2008 }}</ref> as popularised by [[Pope Clement I]] (88–98), saint, and his many papal successors of that name;
**Augustus ("consecrated, holy"<ref>Cassell's Latin Dictionary, Marchant, J.R.V, & Charles, Joseph F., (Eds.), Revised Edition, 1928</ref>), first popularised by the first Roman Emperor; later (as Augustine) by two saints;
**English examples include numerous female names such as [[Faith]], [[Prudence]], [[Amanda]] (Latin: worthy of love); Blanche (white (pure));
* Occupations, for example [[George (given name)|George]] means "earth-worker", ''i.e.'', "farmer".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=george |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name George |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>
* Circumstances of birth, for example:
**[[Thomas (name)|Thomas]] meaning "twin";
**''[[Quintus]]'' (Latin: "fifth"), which was traditionally given to the fifth male child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=thomas |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Thomas |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=quintus |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Quintus |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>
* Objects, for example [[Peter (name)|Peter]] means "rock" and [[Edgar]] means "rich spear".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=edgar |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Edgar |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=peter |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Peter |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>
* Physical characteristics, for example [[Calvin (given name)|Calvin]] means "bald".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/php/view.php?name=calvin |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Calvin |access-date=21 July 2008 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>
* Variations on another name, especially to change the sex of the name ([[Pauline (name)|Pauline]], Georgia) or to adapt from another language (for instance, the names [[Francis (given name)|Francis]] or [[Francisco]] that come from the name [[Franciscus]] meaning "[[Franks|Frank]] or Frenchman").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mfnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-francis.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Francis |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301001406/http://www.mfnames.com/mfnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-francis.htm |archive-date=1 March 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-francisco.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Francisco |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103205405/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-francisco.htm |archive-date=3 January 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-franciscus.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Franciscus |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201201918/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/f/origin-and-meaning-of-franciscus.htm |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}</ref>
* Surnames,  Such names can honour other branches of a family, where the surname would not otherwise be passed down (e.g., the mother's maiden surname). Modern examples include:
**Winston,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/w/origin-and-meaning-of-winston.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Winston |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201182631/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/w/origin-and-meaning-of-winston.htm |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}</ref> 
**[[Harrison (name)|Harrison]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/h/origin-and-meaning-of-harrison.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Harrison |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527201539/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/h/origin-and-meaning-of-harrison.htm |archive-date=27 May 2011 }}</ref> 
**[[Ross (name)|Ross]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/r/origin-and-meaning-of-ross.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Ross |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527140947/http://www.mfnames.com/mnames/r/origin-and-meaning-of-ross.htm |archive-date=27 May 2011 }}</ref>
* Many were adopted from the 17th century in England to show respect to notable ancestry, usually given to nephews or male grandchildren of members of the great families concerned, from which the usage spread to general society. This was regardless of whether the family name concerned was in danger of dying out, for example with Howard, a family with many robust male lines over history. Notable examples include
**Howard, from the Howard family, Dukes of Norfolk;
**Courtenay, from the surname of the Earls of Devon;
**Trevor, from the Welsh chieftain Tudor Trevor, lord of Hereford;<ref>Trevors, whose descendant Trevor Charles Roper became Lord Dacre in 1786</ref>
**Clifford, from the Barons Clifford;
**Digby, from the family of Baron Digby/Earl of Bristol;
**Shirley (originally a man's forename), from the Shirley family, Earls Ferrer;
**Percy, from the Percy Earls and Dukes of Northumberland;
**Lindsay, from that noble Scottish family, Earls of Crawford;
**Graham, from that noble Scottish family, Dukes of Montrose;
**Eliot, from the Eliot family, Earls of St Germans;
**Herbert, from the Herbert family, Earls of Pembroke;
**Russell, from the Russell family, Earls and Dukes of Bedford;
**Stanley, from the Stanley family, Earls of Derby;
**Vernon, Earl of Shipbrook
**Dillon, the Irish family of Dillon, Viscount Dillon
* Places, for example [[Brittany]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/fnames/b/origin-and-meaning-of-brittany.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Brittany |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107044925/http://www.mfnames.com/fnames/b/origin-and-meaning-of-brittany.htm |archive-date=7 January 2009 }}</ref> and [[Duchy of Lorraine|Lorraine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/lorraine |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Lorraine |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>
* Time of birth, for example, day of the week, as in [[Kofi Annan]], whose given name means "born on Friday",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/kofi |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Kofi |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell
}}</ref> or the holiday on which one was born, for example, the name [[Natalie (given name)|Natalie]] meaning "born on [[Christmas]] day" in Latin<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfnames.com/fnames/n/origin-and-meaning-of-natalie.htm |title=Origin and Meaning of Natalie |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=MFnames.com |author=Igor Katsev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907063959/http://www.mfnames.com/fnames/n/origin-and-meaning-of-natalie.htm |archive-date=7 September 2008 }}</ref> (Noel (French "Christmas"), a name given to males born at Christmas); also [[April (given name)|April]], [[May (given name)|May]], or [[June (given name)|June]].
* Combination of the above, for example the [[Armenian language|Armenian]] name Sirvart means "love rose".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/sirvart |title=Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Sirvart |access-date=5 January 2009 |work=Behind the Name |author=Mike Campbell}}</ref>

In many cultures, given names are reused, especially [[namesake|to commemorate ancestors]] or those who are particularly admired, resulting in a limited repertoire of names that sometimes vary by [[orthography]].

The most familiar example of this, to Western readers, is the use of [[Biblical]] and [[saint|saints']] names in most of the Christian countries (with Ethiopia, in which names were often ideals or abstractions—Haile Selassie, "power of the Trinity"; Haile Miriam, "power of Mary"—as the most conspicuous exception). However, the name [[Jesus (name)|Jesus]] is considered [[taboo]] or [[sacrilege|sacrilegious]] in some parts of the [[Christian world]], though this taboo does not extend to the cognate [[Joshua]] or related forms which are common in many languages even among Christians.  In some Spanish-speaking countries, the name Jesus is considered a normal given name.

Similarly, the name [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Mary]], now popular among Christians, particularly [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]], was considered too holy for secular use until about the 12th century. In countries that particularly venerated Mary, this remained the case much longer; in Poland, until the arrival in the 17th century of French queens named Marie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.poland.gov.pl/Polish,names,2470.html|title=Witamy|work=#Polska |access-date=19 August 2006|archive-date=3 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403024150/http://poland.gov.pl/Polish,names,2470.html}}</ref>

Most common given names in English (and many other European languages) can be grouped into broad categories based on their origin:

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        These are examples and not exhaustive lists. Lists of first names exist at Wiktionary. Before adding any more examples please discuss on talk page.        ***

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* '''[[Hebrew name]]s''', most often from the Bible, are very common in, or are elements of names used in historically Christian countries. [[Theophoric name|Some]] have elements meaning "God", especially "[[Eli (name)|Eli]]". Examples: [[Michael (given name)|Michael]], [[Joshua]], [[Daniel (biblical figure)|Daniel]], [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]], [[David]], [[Adam (name)|Adam]], [[Samuel]], [[Elizabeth (given name)|Elizabeth]], [[Hannah (given name)|Hannah]] and [[Mary (given name)|Mary]]. There are also a handful of names in use derived from the '''[[Aramaic language|Aramaic]]''', particularly the names of prominent figures in the New Testament—such as [[Thomas the Apostle|Thomas]], [[Martha]] and [[Bartholomew]].
** All of the [[Semitic people]]s of history and the present day use at least some names constructed like these in Hebrew (and the ancient Hebrews used names not constructed like these—such as [[Moses]], probably an Egyptian name related to the names of [[Pharaoh]]s like Thutmose and Ahmose). The Muslim world is the best-known example (with names like Saif-al-din, "sword of the faith", or Abd-Allah, "servant of God"), but even the Carthaginians had similar names: cf. Hannibal, "the grace of god" (in this case not the Abrahamic deity God, but the deity—probably [[Melkart]]—whose title is normally left untranslated, as [[Baal]]).
* '''[[Germanic names]]''' are characteristically warlike; roots with meanings like "glory", "strength", and "will" are common. The "-[[Bert (name)|bert]]" element common in many such names comes from ''beraht'', which means "[[wikt:bright|bright]]". Examples: [[Robert]], [[Edward]], [[Roger]], [[Richard]], Albert, Carl, Alfred, Rosalind, Emma, Emmett, [[Eric]] and [[Matilda (name)|Matilda]].
* '''French''' forms of '''[[Germanic languages|Germanic]]''' names. Since the [[Norman conquest of England]], many English-given names of [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] origin are used in their [[French name|French forms]]. Examples: [[Charles]], [[Henry (given name)|Henry]], [[William]].
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        These are examples and not exhaustive lists. Lists of first names exist at Wiktionary. Before adding any more examples please discuss on talk page.        ***

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*'''[[Slavic names]]''' may be of peaceful character, the compounds being derived from the word [[root (linguistics)|roots]] meaning "to protect", "to love", "peace", "to praise [gods]", or "to give". Examples: [[Milena (name)|Milena]], [[Vesna (name)|Vesna]], [[Bohumil]], [[Dobromir (given name)|Dobromir]], [[Svetlana]], [[Vlastimil]]. Other names have a warlike character and are built of words meaning "fighter", "war", or "anger". Examples: [[Casimir]], [[Vladimir (name)|Vladimir]], [[Sambor (disambiguation)|Sambor]], [[Wojciech]] and [[Zbigniew]]. Many of them derive from the root word "slava" ("glory"): [[Boleslaus|Boleslav]], [[Miroslav (given name)|Miroslav]], [[Vladislav]], [[Radoslav (disambiguation)|Radoslav]], [[Slavomir]] and [[Stanislav (given name)|Stanislav]]. Those derived from root word "mir" ("world, peace") are also popular: [[Casimir]], [[Slavomir]], [[Radomir (given name)|Radomir]], [[Vladimir (name)|Vladimir]], [[Miroslav (given name)|Miroslav]], Jaczemir.
* '''[[Celtic languages|Celtic]]''' names are sometimes [[anglicisation|anglicised]] versions of [[Celtic language|Celtic forms]], but the original form may also be used. Examples: [[Alan (name)|Alan]], [[Brian]], [[Brigid]], Mórag, Ross, [[Logan (given name)|Logan]], [[Ciarán]], [[Jennifer (given name)|Jennifer]], and [[John (name)#Evolution of the name John|Seán]]. These names often have origins in Celtic words, as Celtic versions of the names of internationally known [[Christianity|Christian]] [[saint]]s, as names of [[Celtic mythology|Celtic mythological figures]], or simply as long-standing names whose ultimate etymology is unclear.
* '''[[Greek names]]''' may be derived from the history and mythology of [[Classical Antiquity]] or be derived from the [[New Testament]] and early Christian traditions. Such names are often, but not always, anglicised. Examples: [[Helen (given name)|Helen]], [[Stephen]], [[Alexander]], [[Andrew]], [[Peter (name)|Peter]], [[Gregory (given name)|Gregory]], [[George (given name)|George]], [[Christopher (name)|Christopher]], [[Margaret (name)|Margaret]], [[Nicholas]], [[Jason (name)|Jason]], [[Timothy (name)|Timothy]], [[Chloe]], [[Zoe (name)|Zoë]], [[Katherine (given name)|Katherine]], [[Penelope]] and [[Theodore (given name)|Theodore]].
*'''[[Roman naming conventions|Latin names]]''' can also be adopted unchanged, or modified; in particular, the inflected element can be dropped, as often happens in borrowings from Latin to English. Examples: [[Laura (name)|Laura]], [[Victoria (name)|Victoria]], [[Mark (given name)|Mark]] (Latin ''[[Marcus (name)|Marcus]]''), [[Justin (given name)|Justin]] (Latin ''Justinus''), [[Paul (name)|Paul]] (Lat. ''Paulus''), Julius, [[Julia (given name)|Julia]], Cecilia, [[Felix (name)|Felix]], [[Vivian (personal name)|Vivian]], [[Pascal (name)|Pascal]] (not a traditional-type Latin name, but the adjective-turned-name ''paschalis'', meaning 'of Easter' (''Pascha'')).
* '''Word names''' come from English vocabulary words. Feminine names of this sort—in more languages than English, and more cultures than Europe alone—frequently derive from nature, flowers, birds, colours, or [[gemstone]]s. Examples include [[Jasmine]], [[Lavender]], [[Dawn]], [[Asteraceae|Daisy]], [[Rose]], [[Iris (plant)|Iris]], [[Petunia]], [[Rowan]], [[Jade]], and [[Violet (plant)|Violet]]. Male names of this sort are less common—examples like [[Hunter (given name)|Hunter]] and [[Fischer]], or names associated with strong animals, such as [[Bronco]] and [[Wolf]]. (This is more common in some other languages, such as Northern Germanic and Turkish).
* '''Trait names''' most conspicuously include the Christian virtues, mentioned above, and normally used as feminine names (such as the [[Theological virtues|three Christian virtues]]—[[Faith in Christianity|Faith]], [[Hope (virtue)|Hope]], and [[Charity (virtue)|Charity]]).
* '''[[Diminutive]]s''' are sometimes used to distinguish between two or more people with the same given name. In English, [[Robert]] may be changed to "Robbie" or Thomas changed to "Tommy". In German the names [[John (name)#Evolution of the name John|Hänsel]] and [[Margaret (name)#Name Margaret in other languages|Gretel]] (as in the famous [[Hansel & Gretel|fairy tale]]) are the diminutive forms of Johann and Margarete. Examples: [[Victoria (name)|Vicky]], [[Cindy (given name)|Cindy]], Tommy, [[Abigail|Abby]], [[Alison (name)|Allie]].
* '''Shortened names''' (see [[nickname]]) are generally nicknames of a longer name, but they are instead given as a person's entire given name. For example, a man may simply be named "Jim", and it is not short for [[James (name)|James]]. Examples: Beth, Ben, Zach, Tom.
* '''Feminine variations''' exist for many masculine names, often in multiple forms. Examples: [[Charlotte (given name)|Charlotte]], [[Stephanie]], [[Victoria (name)|Victoria]], [[Philippa]], [[Jane (given name)|Jane]], [[Jacqueline (name)|Jacqueline]], [[Josephine (name)|Josephine]], [[Danielle]], [[Paula (given name)|Paula]], [[Pauline (name)|Pauline]], [[Patricia]], [[Francesca]].

Frequently, a given name has versions in many languages. For example, the biblical name ''[[Susanna (disciple)|Susanna]]'' also occurs in its original [[biblical Hebrew language|biblical Hebrew]] version, ''Shoshannah'', its Spanish and Portuguese version ''Susana'', its French version, ''Suzanne'', its Polish version, ''Zuzanna'', or its Hungarian version, ''Zsuzsanna''.
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        These are examples and not exhaustive lists. Lists of first names exist at Wiktionary. Before adding any more examples please discuss on talk page.        ***

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===East Asia===
{{See also|Chinese given names}}

Despite the uniformity of [[Chinese surname]]s, some [[Chinese given name]]s are fairly original because [[Chinese character]]s can be combined extensively. Unlike European languages, with their Biblical and Greco-Roman heritage, the [[Chinese language]] does not have a particular set of words reserved for given names: any combination of Chinese characters can theoretically be used as a given name. Nonetheless, a number of popular characters commonly recur, including "Strong" ({{linktext|伟}}, ''Wěi''), "Learned" ({{linktext|文}}, ''Wén''), "Peaceful" ({{linktext|安}}, ''Ān''), and "Beautiful" ({{linktext|美}}, ''Měi''). Despite China's increasing urbanization, several names such as "Pine" ({{linktext|松}}, ''Sōng'') or "[[plum tree|Plum]]" ({{linktext|梅}}, ''Méi'') also still reference nature.

Most Chinese given names are two characters long and—despite the examples above—the two characters together may mean nothing at all. Instead, they may be selected to include particular sounds, [[Chinese tones|tones]], or [[radical (Chinese characters)|radicals]]; to balance the [[five elements (China)|Chinese elements]] of a child's [[Chinese astrology|birth chart]]; or to honor a [[generation poem]] handed down through the family for centuries. Traditionally, it is considered an [[naming taboo|affront]], not an honor, to have a newborn named after an older relative and so full names are rarely passed down through a family in the manner of American English ''Seniors,'' ''Juniors'', ''III'', etc. Similarly, it is considered disadvantageous for the child to bear a name already made famous by someone else through [[romanization of Chinese|romanizations]], where a common name like [[Liu Xiang (disambiguation)|Liu Xiang]] may be borne by tens of thousands.

[[Korean names]] and [[Vietnamese names]] are often simply conventions derived from [[Classical Chinese]] counterparts.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}

Many female [[Japanese names]] end in ''-ko'' ({{linktext|子}}), usually meaning "child" on its own. However, the character when used in given names can have a feminine (adult) connotation.

In many Westernised Asian locations, many Asians also have an unofficial or even registered Western (typically English) given name, in addition to their Asian given name. This is also true for Asian students at colleges in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia as well as among international businesspeople. {{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
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***        These are examples and not exhaustive lists. Lists of first names exist at Wiktionary. Before adding any more examples please discuss on talk page.        ***
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==Gender==
Most names in English are traditionally masculine (Hugo, James, Harold) or feminine (Daphne, Charlotte, Jane), but there are [[unisex name]]s as well, such as [[Jordan (name)|Jordan]], [[Jamie]], [[Jesse (given name)|Jesse]], [[Morgan (given name)|Morgan]], Leslie/[[Lesley (disambiguation)|Lesley]], [[Joseph (name)|Joe]]/[[Jo (given name)|Jo]], [[Jackie (given name)|Jackie]], [[Pat (disambiguation)|Pat]], Dana, Alex, [[Chris]]/[[Kris (name)|Kris]], [[Randy]]/[[Randi]], [[Lee (given name)|Lee]], etc. Often, use for one gender is predominant.  Also, a particular spelling is often more common for either men or women, even if the pronunciation is the same.

Many culture groups, past and present, did not or do not gender their names strongly; thus, many or all of their names are unisex. On the other hand, in many languages including most [[Indo-European languages]] (but not English), gender is inherent in the grammar. Some countries have laws preventing [[unisex names]], requiring parents to give their children sex-specific names.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 September 2016 |title=Unisex Baby Names Are Illegal In These 4 Countries |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/09/19/banned-baby-names_n_12090708.html |access-date=5 March 2022 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref> Names may have different gender connotations from country to country or language to language.

Within [[anthroponymic]] classification, names of human males are called ''andronyms'' (from [[Ancient Greek]] ἀνήρ / man, and ὄνυμα [ὄνομα] / name),{{sfn|Room|1996|p=6}} while names of human females are called ''gynonyms'' (from [[Ancient Greek]] γυνή / woman, and ὄνυμα [ὄνομα] / name).{{sfn|Barolini|2005|p=91, 98}}

==Popularity{{anchor|Popularity distribution of given names}}==
[[File:USA historical popular baby names.svg|thumb|250px|Most popular US baby names from 1880 to 2012]]
The popularity (frequency) distribution of given names typically follows a [[Zipf–Mandelbrot law|power law distribution]].

Since about 1800 in England and Wales and in the U.S., the popularity distribution of given names has been shifting so that the most popular names are losing popularity. For example, in England and Wales, the most popular female and male names given to babies born in 1800 were Mary and John, with 24% of female babies and 22% of male babies receiving those names, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galbithink.org/names.htm|title=First Name Popularity in England and Wales over the Past Thousand Years}}</ref> In contrast, the corresponding statistics for England and Wales in 1994 were Emily and James, with 3% and 4% of names, respectively. Not only have Mary and John gone out of favour in the English-speaking world, but the overall distribution of names has also changed significantly over the last 100{{nbsp}}years for females, but not for males. This has led to an increasing amount of diversity for female names.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://analyticalvisions.blogspot.com/2006/11/names.html |work=Analytical Visions|title=Names |date=13 November 2006}}</ref>

===Choice of names===
Education, ethnicity, religion, class and political ideology affect parents' choice of names. Politically conservative parents choose common and traditional names, while politically liberal parents may choose the names of literary characters or other relatively obscure cultural figures.<ref>J. Eric Oliver, Thomas Wood, Alexandra Bass.  "Liberellas versus Konservatives: Social Status, Ideology, and Birth Names in the United States"  [http://conference.mpsanet.org/Online/Search.aspx?session=2834 Presented at] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713085234/http://conference.mpsanet.org/Online/Search.aspx?session=2834|date=13 July 2013}} the 2013 [[Midwestern Political Science Association]] Annual Meeting</ref>  Devout members of religions often choose names from their religious scriptures.  For example, Hindu parents may name a daughter [[Saanvi]] after the goddess, Jewish parents may name a boy [[Isaac]] after one of the earliest ancestral figures, and Muslim parents may name a boy [[Mohammed (name)|Mohammed]] after [[Muhammad|the prophet Mohammed]].

There are many tools parents can use to choose names, including books, websites and applications. An example is the Baby Name Game that uses the [[Elo rating system]] to rank parents preferred names and help them select one.<ref name="Baby Name Game">{{cite web |url=http://www.monkie.biz |title=Baby Name Game |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140329014247/http://baby-namer.meteor.com/launch |archive-date= 29 March 2014 }}</ref>

===Influence of popular culture===
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2015}}
[[Popular culture]] appears to have an influence on naming trends, at least in the United States and United Kingdom. Newly famous celebrities and public figures may influence the popularity of names. For example, in 2004, the names "Keira" and "Kiera" (anglicisation of Irish name Ciara) respectively became the 51st and 92nd most popular girls' names in the UK, following the rise in popularity of British actress [[Keira Knightley]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 January 2005 |title=Babies' Names 2004 |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=184 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050727084712/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=184 |archive-date=Jul 27, 2005 |website=National Statistics Online}}</ref> In 2001, the use of Colby as a boys' name for babies in the United States jumped from 233rd place to 99th, just after [[Colby Donaldson]] was the runner-up on ''[[Survivor: The Australian Outback]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} Also, the female name "Miley" which before was not in the top 1000 was 278th most popular in 2007, following the rise to fame of singer-actress [[Miley Cyrus]] (who was named Destiny at birth).<ref name=ssa>"[http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ Popular Baby Names]", Social Security Administration, US.</ref>

[[File:Influence of TV series on given names.svg|thumb|500 px|right|Influence of TV series on given names in England and Wales from 1996 to 2021.]]

Characters from fiction also seem to influence naming. After the name [[Kayla (name)|Kayla]] was used for [[Kayla Brady|a character]] on the American [[soap opera]] ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'',<!--This is the correct rendering, per the show's title sequence.--> the name's popularity increased greatly. The name [[Tammy (given name)|Tammy]], and the related [[Tamara (given name)|Tamara]] became popular after the movie ''[[Tammy and the Bachelor]]'' came out in 1957. Some names were established or spread by being used in literature. Notable examples include [[Pamela (name)|Pamela]], invented by Sir [[Philip Sidney]] for a pivotal character in his epic prose work, ''[[The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia]]''; [[Jessica (given name)|Jessica]], created by William Shakespeare in his play ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]''; [[Vanessa (name)|Vanessa]], created by [[Jonathan Swift]]; [[Fiona]], a character from [[James Macpherson]]'s spurious cycle of [[Ossian]] poems; [[Wendy]], an obscure name popularised by [[J. M. Barrie]] in his play ''[[Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up]]''; and [[Madison (name)|Madison]], a character from the movie ''[[Splash (film)|Splash]]''. [[Lara (name)|Lara]] and [[Larissa (given name)|Larissa]] were rare in America before the appearance of ''[[Doctor Zhivago (1965 film)|Doctor Zhivago]],'' and have become fairly common since.

Songs can influence the naming of children. Jude jumped from 814th most popular male name in 1968 to 668th in 1969, following the release of [[the Beatles]]' "[[Hey Jude]]". Similarly, [[Layla]] charted as 969th most popular in 1972 after the [[Eric Clapton]] song. It had not been in the top 1,000 before.<ref name=ssa/> Kayleigh became a particularly popular name in the United Kingdom following the release of a song by the British rock group [[Marillion]]. Government statistics in 2005 revealed that 96% of Kayleighs were born after 1985, the year in which Marillion released "[[Kayleigh]]". {{citation needed|date=September 2013}}

Popular culture figures need not be admirable in order to influence naming trends. For example, Peyton came into the top 1000 as a female given name for babies in the United States for the first time in 1992 (at #583), immediately after it was featured as the name of an evil nanny in the film ''[[The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992 film)|The Hand That Rocks the Cradle]]''.<ref name=ssa/> On the other hand, historical events can influence child-naming. For example, the given name [[Adolf]] has fallen out of use since the end of [[World War II]] in 1945.

In contrast with this anecdotal evidence, a comprehensive study of Norwegian first name datasets<ref>{{cite journal |title=You Name It – How Memory and Delay Govern First Name Dynamics |bibcode-access=free |first1=David A. |last1=Kessler |first2=Yosi E. |last2=Maruvka |first3=Jøergen |last3=Ouren |first4=Nadav M. |last4=Shnerb |date=20 June 2012 |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=7 |issue=6 |article-number=e38790 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0038790 |pmid= 22745679 |pmc=3380031 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...738790K |doi-access=free}}</ref> shows that the main factors that govern first name dynamics are [[endogenous]].  Monitoring the popularity of 1,000 names over 130 years, the authors have identified only five cases of [[exogenous]] effects, three of them are connected to the names given to the babies of the Norwegian royal family.

===20th century African-American names===
Since the civil rights movement of 1950–1970, [[African-American names]] given to children have strongly mirrored sociopolitical movements and philosophies in the African-American community. Since the 1970s neologistic (creative, inventive) practices have become increasingly common and the subject of academic study.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gaddis |first1=S. |title=How Black Are Lakisha and Jamal? Racial Perceptions from Names Used in Correspondence Audit Studies |journal=Sociological Science |date=2017 |volume=4 |pages=469–489 |doi=10.15195/v4.a19 |doi-access=free|url=https://osf.io/7c4wv/download }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Hypocorism]] or pet name
* [[List of most popular given names]] (in many countries and cultures)
* [[Maiden and married names]]
* [[Name day]]
* [[Onomastics]]
* [[Personal name]]
* [[Praenomen]]
* [[Pseudonym]]
* [[Saint's name]]
** [[Calendar of saints]]
* [[Slave name]]
* [[Thai name]] – somewhat special treatment of given names
* [[Theophoric name]]
** [[Theophory in the Bible]]
* [[Unisex name]]
* [[Pleonasm#Bilingual tautological expressions|Bilingual tautological given names]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Barolini|editor-first=Teodolinda|title=Medieval Constructions in Gender And Identity: Essays in Honor of Joan M. Ferrante|year=2005|location=Tempe|publisher=Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies|isbn=978-0-86698-337-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OcBkAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last1=Bourin|editor-first1=Monique|editor-last2=Martínez Sopena|editor-first2=Pascual|title=Anthroponymie et migrations dans la chrétienté médiévale|trans-title=Anthroponymy and Migrations in Medieval Christianity|year=2010|location=Madrid|publisher=Casa de Velázquez|isbn=978-84-96820-33-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rj6CLZKq6fQC}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last1=Bruck|editor-first1=Gabriele vom|editor-last2=Bodenhorn|editor-first2=Barbara|title=An Anthropology of Names and Naming|year=2009|orig-date=2006|edition=2nd|location=Cambridge|publisher=Cambridge University Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4IIOQAAACAA}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{Cite book|last=Fraser|first=Peter M.|author-link=Peter Fraser (classicist)|chapter=Ethnics as Personal Names|title=Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence|year=2000|location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=149–157|url=https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/104p149.pdf|access-date=27 December 2023|archive-date=18 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018113913/https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/104p149.pdf}}
* {{Cite book|last=Room|first=Adrian|title=An Alphabetical Guide to the Language of Name Studies|year=1996|location=Lanham and London|publisher=The Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-3169-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XEtiAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Ziolkowska|first=Magdalena|title=Anthroponomy as an Element Identifying National Minority|journal=Eesti ja Soome-Ugri Keeleteaduse Ajakiri|year=2011|volume=2|number=1|pages=383–398|doi=10.12697/jeful.2011.2.1.25|url=https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/jeful/article/view/jeful.2011.2.1.25 |doi-access=free |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240319222812/https://ojs.utlib.ee/index.php/jeful/article/download/jeful.2011.2.1.25/10298/15174 |archive-date= Mar 19, 2024 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|given name|Appendix:Names|Appendix:Most popular given names by country}}
{{commons category|Given names}}
{{Wikidata property|P735}}
{{Prone to spam|date=August 2019}}
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* {{CathEncy|wstitle=Christian Names}}
* [http://www.galbithink.org/names/agnames.htm Given Name Frequency Project] — Analysis of long-term trends in given names in England and Wales. Includes downloadable datasets of names for people interested in studying given name trends.
* [http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager NameVoyager] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130055404/http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager |date=30 January 2011 }} — Visualization showing the frequency of the Top 1000 American baby names throughout history.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050330030604/http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/names_files.html U.S. Census Bureau: Distribution of Names Files] — Large ranked list of male and female given names in addition to last names.
* [http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ Popular Baby Names] — The Social Security Administration page for Popular U.S. Baby Names.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120410210007/http://www.muslimnamesworld.com/ Muslim Names] — Islamic names with Audio Voice for pronunciation of Arabic names.
* [https://blog-en.namepedia.org/2015/11/why-most-european-names-ending-in-a-are-female/ Why Most European Names Ending in A Are Female] — Article on Namepedia about gender and naming.
* [https://medium.com/@iris.atlanttida/name-design-53b1ae076a32 Name Design] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223000448/https://medium.com/@iris.atlanttida/name-design-53b1ae076a32 |date=23 February 2021}} — How to make unique name design and create name art.

{{Personal names}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Given Name}}
[[Category:Given names| ]]