Sharon

Sharon is the name of a biblical place in the Old Testament, as well as the name of several places in the United States and United Kingdom. It means “plain”, referring to a fertile plain though it’s also been connected to Hebrew yashar meaning “straight,” or “to be level”, or that it could come from a…

Mordecai

Mordecai seems to be a variant form of Marduka, a Persian name meaning “servant of Marduk”, Marduk being the name of the Babylonian god of heaven, light, battle, and fertility. The name may be derived from Sumerian amar-Utak meaning “calf of Utu”, Utu being the name of another Sumerian god of the sun, whose name means “sun”. Mordecai is…

Susan

Susan is the English form of Susannah which comes from Hebrew Shoshannah meaning “lily”; it also means “rose” in modern Hebrew. It may ultimately be derived from Egyptian sšn meaning “lotus”. Nicknames: Sue, Susie/Susy Origin: Egyptian Variants: Susannah (English) Susanna (Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, English, Greek) Sousanna (Greek) Shoshannah (Hebrew) Shoshana (Hebrew) Sawsan (Arabic) Suzanne (French, English, Dutch) Suzana (Croatian, Serbian,…

Gershon

Gershon seems to be a variant form of Gershom, a Hebrew male name possibly meaning “exile” though it could also be derived from Hebrew ger sham meaning “a stranger there”, though it’s also been interpreted as “a sojourner there”. I’ve also seen it listed as being derived from the Hebrew verb garash meaning “to drive or cast out”….

Kolfinna

Kolfinna is an Ancient Scandinavian female name, the feminine for of Kolfinnr, made up of Old Norse elements kol (coal) and finnr (Finn, Sámi). Origin: Proto-Indo-European Male forms: Kolfinnr (Ancient Scandinavian)  

Lazarus

Lazarus is the Latinized form of Lazaros, the Greek form of Eleazar, a Hebrew male name meaning “God has helped”. Lazarus is also a surname originating from the given name. Origin: Hebrew Variants: Lazaros (Greek, Biblical Greek) Eleazar (Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek) ‘El’azar (Biblical Hebrew) Lazar (Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian) Lazare (French) Elazar (Hebrew) Lázár…

Beryl

Beryl is the name of a mineral which is often used as a gem, of a bluish-greenish color, though it can also come in other colors. The name comes from Latin beryllus via Ancient Greek berullos which derives from Prakit veruliya via Sanskrit vaidurya- which ultimately derives from a Dravidian origin, the name of a city in India called Velur (now known as Belur)…

Zalman

Zalman is a Yiddish male name, the Yiddish form of Solomon meaning “peace” from Hebrew shalóm (peace) derived from Proto-Semitic *šalām- (peace, well-being, welfare). Origin: Proto-Semitic Variants: Solomon (Hebrew, English) Soloman (English) Sulayman (Arabic) Sulaiman (Arabic, Indonesian, Malay) Shelomoh (Biblical Hebrew) Salomo (Dutch, German) Salomon (French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Biblical French, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek) Salomone (Biblical Italian) Süleyman (Turkish)…

Anthy

Anthy is a variant spelling of Anthe, an Ancient Greek female name meaning “bloom, blossom” derived from Ancient Greek anthos (blossom). Anthe is the name of a nymph in Greek mythology, one of the Alcyonides, the seven daughter of the giant Alcyoneus. When their father was killed by Hercules they threw themselves into the sea and were transformed into halcyons…

Brannon

Brannon comes from an Irish surname, a variant spelling of Brennan which is the anglicized form of Ó Braonáin meaning “son of Braonán”, the latter a diminutive of braon meaning “drop, moisture, rain”. Brennan may also be an anglicized form of Ó Branáin meaning “descendant of Branán”, the latter a diminutive of bran meaning “raven”. Nicknames: Bran Origin: Proto-Indo-European Variants: Brennan (Irish, English) Brannan…

Lidda

Lidda seems to be a variant form or a diminutive of Lydia, a Greek female name derived from the name of an ancient kingdom in Asia Minor, used to refer to someone who came from there. It was apparently named after a king, Lydus or Ludos, whose name might mean “beautiful one” or “noble one”. Another possible meaning is that…

Ferdinand

Ferdinand is an Italian and Spanish name made up from Germanic elements  fardi (journey) and nand (daring, brave) essentially meaning “dangerous journey” or “brave journey”; alternatively, the first part of the name could be derived from Germanic frið meaning “peace”. Ferdinand is also a surname originating from the given name. Ferdinand was the name of a character in Shakespeare’s The…

Meggie

Meggie is a diminutive form of Margaret or Megan, both of which derive from Ancient Greek margarítēs meaning “pearl” ultimately derived from Sanskrit manyari. Origin: Sanskrit Variants: Meggy (English) Megan (Welsh, English) Meghan (English) Meaghan (English) Meagan (English) Maegan (English) Maeghan (English) Margaret (English) Marjorie (English) Marjory (English) Margery (English) Margarita (Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Late Roman, Greek) Margarid (Armenian)…

Jesse

Jesse comes from a Hebrew male name possibly meaning “gifted” or “Yahweh exists”. Jesse is also a surname originating from the given name. Although traditionally a male name, it has had occasional use as a female name, likely as a variant of Jessie, which is a nickname for Jessica meaning “to behold”, “foresight” or “one who looks forth”. Nicknames:…