Lodestar

Lodestar is an old word for a star that leads the way, such as the North Star; it can also be used to refer to something or someone that serves as a guide. It’s made up of Middle English lode (journey, course, way, path) combined with star (star). Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: a word referring to…

Polaris

Polaris is another name for the North Star, the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. The name comes from Latin Stella Polaris (pole star). Polaris mean “of or pertaining to the poles”, referring to both the northern and southern poles, via Latin polus (pole; sky, heavens) <Ancient Greek polos πόλος (axis of rotation) via…

Felicidad

Felicidad is a Spanish female name meaning “happiness, felicity” from Latin felicitas (happiness, felicity; fruitful, fertility; success, good fortune) which derives from a PIE root word *dʰeh₁(y)- (to suckle, nurse). Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: “happiness, felicity” Usage: Spanish Variants: Male forms:

Kamiyah

Kamiyah is an African-American female name, a modern name which seems to be a combination of the name Maya with the ka- prefix. Maya has several meanings and etymologies such as “illusion” from Sanskrit; “water” from Hebrew; as well as being the name of the Mayan civilization, which seems to have been derived from Mayapan,…

Egbert

Egbert comes from an Old English male name, Ecgberht, meaning “bright edge”. It’s made up of Old English ecg (edge “of a blade”) ultimately from PIE *h₂eḱ- (sharp), and beorht (bright, clear), also from a PIE root word. Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: “bright edge (of a blade)” Usage: English, Dutch Variants:

Lysistrate

Lysistrate is an Ancient Greek female name, made up of Ancient Greek lúsis λῠ́σῐς (loosing, releasing) < luo λυω (to loosen, unbind) and stratós στρᾰτός (army), essentially meaning “army disbander” or “disbander of armies”. Lysistrata is the name of an Ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes in 5th century BC, in which the eponymous character decides that in…

Ekhion

Ekhion is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including the name of a Giant; a Greek warrior who fought in the Trojan War; the name of one of the Spartoi, warriors who sprang up from the dragon’s teeth sown into the earth by Cadmus and than, later, Jason; as well as the name…

Elwood

Elwood comes from Middle English Elwald via Anglo-Saxon Aelfweald, made up of Old English elements ælf (elf) and weald (rule) essentially meaning “elf rule” or “elf ruler”. I’ve also seen some sites list it as meaning “elder tree wood”. It’s possible that both meanings are correct, deriving from different sources. Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: “elf rule, elf ruler” or “elder tree…

Osyth

Osyth is the anglicized spelling of Osgyth, anglicized form of Osgyð, made up of Old English os (god) and gūþ (battle, combat), so the name would mean “god war”. There was a 7th century martyr named Osyth who was beheaded. Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: “god + war” Usage: Medieval English Variants:

Ceolwulf

Ceolwulf is an Old English male given name, a combination of ċēol (ship) and wulf (wolf) so the name would mean “ship wolf” or “wolf of the ship”. Origin: Proto-Indo-European Meaning: “ship wolf” or “wolf of the ship” Usage: Anglo-Saxon Variants:

Luscinia

Luscinia is the name of a genus of birds containing nightingales and other birds related to them. The name comes from Latin luscinia meaning “nightingale”, possibly a combination of luscus (“one-eyed” or “half blind”) from PIE root word *lewk- (light, bright; to shine; to see); and canō (to sing), derived from PIE root *keh₂n- (to…

Morven

Morven is a variant of Morvern, the name of a peninsula and district in western Scotland. It’s the anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic A’ Mhorbhairne meaning “the big gap”, made up from Scottish Gaelic mòr (big, large, great) and beàrn (gap; space, opening; notch). However, I’ve seen other sites list the first element as meaning…

Jahanara

Jahanara جهانآرا is a Persian and Bengali female name, made up of Persian jahan جهان (world; universe) and ara آرا (adorn, decorate), via ârâstan آراستن⁩ (to decorate; to adorn; to arrange; to array). The most famous bearer of the name is a princes of the Mughal Empire, Jahanara Begum, the daughter of Shah Jahan and…

Minetta

Minetta is the name of Minetta Creek, an underground stream in New York City that was covered over between 1808 and 1828. The name apparently comes from the Lenape Unami language Manette or Manetta which may be related to Manitou, a general term among Alongquian Native Americans referring to a spiritual power or life force…