English name

❧

Wikipedia

English names are personal names used in, or originating in, England. In England, as elsewhere in the English-speaking world, a complete name usually consists of one or more given names, commonly referred to as first names, and a (most commonly patrilineal, rarely matrilineal) family name or surname, also referred to as a last name. The given names after the first are often referred to as middle names.[1]

An example of an English signature (that of Oliver Cromwell) with first and last name

Given names

Few given names used in England have English derivations. Many names are of Hebrew (Daniel, David, Elizabeth, Susan) or Greek (Nicholas, Dorothy, George, and Helen) origin. Some are Germanic names, sometimes adopted via the transmission of French (Robert, Richard, Gertrude, Charlotte) or originate from Indo-European (Adrian, Amelia, Patrick) or Celtic.

A small fraction of given names has an actual English derivation (see Anglo-Saxon names), such as Alfred, Ashley, Edgar, Edmund, Edward, Edwin, Harold and Oswald. A distinctive feature of Anglophone names is the surnames of important families used as given names, originally to indicate political support or patronage. Many examples have now become normal names chosen because parents like them, and any political sense lost. Most are male names like Cecil, Gerald[citation needed], Howard, Percy, Montague, Stanley or Gordon, though some have female versions like Cecilia or Geraldine. Other languages have few equivalents, although the saint's surname Xavier is often used by Roman Catholics.

During the majority of the 19th century, the most popular given names were Mary for girls and either John or William for boys. Throughout the Early Modern period, the diversity of given names was comparatively small; the three most popular male given names represented nearly 50% of the male population throughout this period. For example, of the boys born in London in the year 1510, 24.4% were named John, 13.3% were named Thomas and 11.7% were named William.[2] A trend towards more diversity in given names began in the mid-19th century, and by 1900, only 22.9% of the newborn boys, and 16.2% of the newborn girls in the UK shared the top three given names for each gender. The trend continued during the 20th century, and by 1994, these figures had fallen to 11% and 8.6%, respectively. This trend is a result of a combination of greater individualism in the choice of names, and the increasing ethnic heterogeneity of the UK population, which led to a wider range of frequent given names from non-European traditions. Oliver and Olivia were the most popular baby names in England and Wales[3] in 2018.

Translations

Translations of male English given names
English French German Greek Italian Portuguese Spanish
AaronAaronAaronAarónAronneAarãoAarón
AbelAbelAbel-AbeleAbelAbel
AbnerAbner---AbnerAbner
AbrahamAbrahamAbrahamAbramoAbraãoAbraham
Absalom-Absalom-AssalonneAbsalãoAbsalón
AdamAdamAdamAdám-AdãoAdán
AdolphAdolpheAdolf-AdolfoAdolfoAdolfo
AdrianAdrienAdrianAdrianósAdrianoAdrianoAdrián
AlanAlain-----
AlbertAlbertAlbert-AlbertoAlbertoAlberto
AlexanderAlexandreAlexanderAléxandrosAlessandroAlexandreAlejandro
AlexisAlexis-AléxisAlessioAleixoAlejo
AlfredAlfredAlfred-AlfredoAlfredoAlfredo
AlphonseAlphonseAlfons-AlfonsoAfonsoAlfonso
Alvin-Alwin----
AmadeusAmédéeAmadeus-AmedeoAmadeuAmadeo
AmbroseAmbroiseAmbrosius-AmbrogioAmbrósioAmbrosio
AnastasiusAnastase-AnastásiosAnastasioAnastácioAnastásio
AndrewAndréAndreasAndréasAndreaAndréAndrés
Angel AngeEngelÁngelosAngeloAnjoÁngel
AnthonyAntoineAntonAntóniosAntonioAntônioAntonio
Archangel ArchangeErzengelArchángelosArcangeloArcanjoArcángel
Archibald ArchambaultArchibald-ArcibaldoArquibaldoArchibaldo
ArnoldArnaudArnold-ArnoldoArnaldoArnoldo
ArnulfArnoulArnolf-ArnolfoArnulfoArnulfo
ArthurArthurArthur-ArturoArturArturo
AsherAserAscher-AserAserAser
AugustineAugustinAugustinAvgoustínosAgostinoAgostinhoAgustín
BartholomewBarthélémyBartholomäusVartholomaíosBartolomeoBartolomeuBartolomé
BasilBasileBasiliusVasíleiosBasilioBasílioBasilio
BenedictBenoîtBenedikt-BenedettoBeneditoBenedicto
BenjaminBenjaminBenjamin-BeniaminoBenjamimBenjamín
BernardBernardBernhard-BernardoBernardoBernardo
CalebCalebKaleb-CalebCalebeCaleb
CelestineCélestin--CelestinoCelestinoCelestino
CharlesCharlesKarlKárolosCarloCarlosCarlos
ChristianChristianChristianChristianósCristianoCristianoCristián
ChristopherChristopheChristophChristóforosCristoforoCristóvãoCristóbal
ClaudeClaude--ClaudioCláudioClaudio
Conrad-Conrad-CorradoConradoConrado
ConstantineConstantinKonstantinKonstantínosCostantinoConstantinoConstantino
CorneliusCorneilleCorneliusKorníliosCornelioCornélioCornelio
CyrilCyrilleKyrillKýrillosCirilloCiriloCirilo
DamianDamienDamianDamianósDamianoDamiãoDamián
DanielDanielDanielDaniílDanieleDanielDaniel
Darius-Dareios-DarioDárioDarío
DavidDavidDavidDavídDavideDavidDavid
DemetriusDimitriDemetriusDimítriosDemetrioDemétrioDemetrio
DennisDenisDennisDionýsiosDionisioDionísioDionisio
DerekThierryDietrich-TeodoricoTeodoricoTeodorico
DominicDominiqueDominik-DomenicoDomingosDomingo
EdmundEdmondEdmund-EdmundoEdmundoEdmundo
EdgarEdgarEdgar-EdgardoEdgarEdgar
EdwardÉdouardEduardEdouárdosEdoardoEduardoEduardo
Edwin-Otwin----
Eli-EliIlíasEliEliEli
ElijahÉlieEliasIlíasEliaElíasElías
Elmer-Elmar----
EmmanuelEmmanuelEmanuelEmmanouílEmanueleManuelManuel
EmilÉmileEmilAimíliosEmilioEmilioEmilio
EmoryÉmericEmmerich-Amerigo--
EnochHénoch--Enoch-Enoc
EphraimÉphraïmEphraimEfraímEfraimEfraimEfraín
EricÉricErichErríkosEricoÉricoErico
ErnestErnestErnstErnéstosErnestoErnestoErnesto
EugeneEugèneEugenEvgéniosEugenioEugênioEugenio
EustaceEustacheEustachiusEfstáchyosEustachioEustácioEustaquio
EvansEvangelos-EvángelosEvangelo--
EzekielÉzéchielEzechiel-EzechieleEzequielEzequiel
EzraEsdrasEsraÉsdraEsdrasEsdras
FelixFélixFelixFeliceFélixFélix
FrancisFrançoisFranzFrangískosFrancescoFranciscoFrancisco
FrederickFrédéricFriedrichFrideríkosFedericoFredericoFederico
GabrielGabrielGabrielGavriílGabrieleGabrielGabriel
GavinGauvainGabinus-GavinoGalvãoGavino
GeoffreyGeoffreyGottfried-GoffredoGodofredoGodofredo
GeorgeGeorgesGeorgGeórgiosGiorgioJorgeJorge
GeraldGéraldGerald-GiraldoGeraldoGeraldo
GerardGérardGerhardGerardoGerardoGerardo
GilesGillesÄgidius-EgídioGil
GregoryGrégoireGregorGrigóriosGregorioGregórioGregorio
GuyGuyGuido-GuidoGuidoGuido
Harold-Harald-AroldoHaroldoHaroldo
HarveyHervé-Charívios---
HectorHector-ÉktorEttoreHeitorHéctor
HenryHenriHeinrichEnríkosEnricoHenriqueEnrique
HerbertHerbertHeribert-ErbertoHerbertoHerberto
HermanArmandHermannArmándosArmandoArmandoArmando
HezekiahÉzéchiasEzechias-EzechiaEzequiasEzequías
HiramHiramHiram-HiramHirãoHiram
HomerHomère-ÓmirosOmeroHomero-
HonoriusHonoréHonorius-OnorioHonórioHonorio
HoraceHoraceHoraz-OrazioHorácioHoracio
HubertHubertHubertOuvértosUbertoHubertoHuberto
HughHuguesHugo-UgoHugoHugo
IsaacIsaacIsaakIsaákIsaccoIsaacIsaac
IsaiahIsaïeIsaiasIsaíasIsaiaIsaíasIsaías
IsidoreIsidoreIsidorIsídorosIsidoroIsidoroIsidoro
IsraelIsraëlIsrael-IsraeleIsraelIsrael
JacobJacobJakobIákovosGiacobbeJacóJacobo
JamesJacquesJakobIákovosGiacomoJaimeJaime
JaredYaredJered-IaredJaredeJared
JasonJasonJasonIásonasGiasoneJasãoJasón
JeremiahJérémieJeremiasIeremíasGeremiaJeremiasJeremías
JeromeJérômeHieronymusIerónymosGerolamoJerônimoJerónimo
JesseJesséIsaiIessaíasIesseJesséJesé
JesusJésusJesusIisoúsGesùJesusJesús
JobJobHiobIóvGiobbeJóJob
JohnJeanJohannIoánnisGiovanniJoãoJuan
JonahJonasJonaIonásGionaJonasJonás
JonathanJonathanJonathanIonáthanGionataJónatasJonatan
JosephJosephJosefIosífGiuseppeJoséJosé
JoshuaJosuéJosuaIisoúsGiosuèJosuéJosué
JosiahJosiasJosia-GiosiaJosiasJosías
JudahJudaJuda-GiudaJudáJudá
JulianJulienJulianIoulianósGiulianoJulianoJulián
JuliusJulesJuliusIoúliosGiulioJúlioJulio
LawrenceLaurentLorenzLorétzosLorenzoLourençoLorenzo
LazarusLazareLazarusLázarosLazzaroLázaroLázaro
LeonLéonLeoLéonLeoneLeãoLeón
LeonardLéonardLeonhardLeonárdosLeonardoLeonardoLeonardo
Leopold LéopoldLeopoldLeopóldosLeopoldoLeopoldoLeopoldo
LothairLothaireLothar-LotarioLotárioLotario
LouisLouisLudwigLoízosLuigiLuísLuis
LukeLucLukasLoukásLucaLucasLucas
MarcellusMarcelMarcelMárkellosMarcelloMarceloMarcelo
MarkMarcMarkusMárkosMarcoMarcosMarcos
MartinMartinMartinMartinoMartimMartín
MatthewMatthieuMatthiasMatteoMateusMateo
MauriceMauriceMoritzMaurizioMaurícioMauricio
MaximilianMaximilienMaximilianMassimilianoMaximilianoMaximiliano
MaximusMaxime-MassimoMáximoMáximo
MicahMichéeMichaMicheaMiqueiasMiqueas
MichaelMichelMichaelMicheleMiguelMiguel
MosesMoïseMoseMosèMoisésMoisés
NathanNathanNatanNatanNatãNatán
NathanielNathanaël-NatanaeleNatanaelNatanael
NicholasNicolasNikolausNiccolòNicolauNicolás
NoahNoéNoachNoèNoéNoé
OctaviusOctave-OttavioOctávioOctavio
OliverOlivierOliverOliviero-Oliverio
OrestesOresteOrestOresteOrestesOrestés
OrpheusOrphéeOrpheusOrfeoOrfeuOrfeo
OscarOscarOskarOscarÓscarÓscar
Oswald-OswaldOsvaldoOsvaldoOsvaldo
OttoEudesOttoOddoOtãoOtón
PatrickPatricePatrickPatrizioPatrícioPatricio
PaulPaulPaulPaoloPauloPablo
PerfectusParfaitPerfectus--Perfecto
PeterPierrePeterPietroPedroPedro
PhaedonPhédon-Fedone-Fedón
PhilipPhilippePhilippFilippoFilipeFelipe
PhineasPhinéePinchasFineasFineiasFineas
PlutarchPlutarquePlutarchPlutarcoPlutarcoPlutarco
ProsperProsperProsperProsperoPrósperoPróspero
QuentinQuentinQuintinQuintinoQuintinoQuintin
Randolph-RandolfRandolfo--
RalphRaoulRalphRaulRaulRaúl
RaphaelRaphaëlRaphaelRaffaeleRafaelRafael
RaymondRaymondRaimund-RaimundoRamón
ReubenRubenRubenRubenRubemRubén
RichardRichardRichardRiccardoRicardoRicardo
RobertRobertRobertRobertoRobertoRoberto
RoderickRodrigueRoderichRodrigoRodrigoRodrigo
RogerRogerRutgerRuggeroRogérioRogelio
RolandRolandRolandRolandoRolandoRolando
RudolphRodolpheRudolfRodolfoRodolfoRodolfo
RupertRupertRuprechtRupertoRupertoRuperto
SamsonSamsonSimsonSansoneSansãoSansón
SamuelSamuelSamuelSamueleSamuelSamuel
SaulSaülSaulSaulSauloSaúl
SebastianSébastienSebastianSebastianoSebastiãoSebastián
SethSethSetSetSeteSet
SigmundSigismondSigismundSigismondo--
SimeonSiméonSimeonSimeoneSimeãoSimeón
SimonSimonSimonSimoneSimãoSimón
SolomonSalomonSalomoSalomoneSalomãoSalomón
SpyrusSpyridon-Spiridione-Spiridión
StanislausStanislasStanislausStanislaoEstanislauEstanislao
StephenÉtienneStephanStefanoEstevãoEsteban
TheodoreThéodoreTheodorTeodoroTeodoroTeodoro
ThomasThomasThomasTommasoTomásTomás
TimothyTimothéeTimotheusTimoteoTimóteoTimoteo
TobiasTobie-Tobia-Tobías
UlrichUlrichUlrichUlricoUlricoUdalrico
UlyssesUlysseOdysseusUlisseUlissesUlises
ValentineValentinValentinValentinoValentimValentin
VangelVangélis-VangélisVangeli--
VictorVictorViktorVittorioVítorVíctor
VincentVincentVinzenzVincenzoVicenteVicente
WalterGautierWaltherGualtieroGualtérioGualterio
WilliamGuillaumeWilhelmGuglielmoGuilhermeGuillermo
XavierXavierXaverSaverioXavierJavier
ZacharyZacharieZachariasZaccariaZacariasZacarías
Translations of female English given names
English French German Greek Hungarian Italian Portuguese Spanish
AlexandraAlexandraAlexandraAlexándraAlexandraAlessandraAlexandraAlejandra
Alexia-AlexiaAlexía-AlessiaAlexiaΑlejia
AliceAliceAliceAlíkiAliceAliceAliceAlicia
AmyAimée-AmántaAmántaAmataAmadaAmada
AgnesAgnèsAgnesAgníÁgnesAgneseInêsInés
AnastasiaAnastasie-Anastasía-AnastasiaAnastáciaAnastásia
AngelaAngèleAngelaÁngelaAngélaÁngelaÂngelaÁngela
AngelicaAngéliqueAngelika-AngyalkaAngelicaAngélicaAngélica
AnnabelAnnabelle----AnabelaAnabel
AntoniaAntoinette-Antonía-AntonellaAntônia-
BarbaraBarbeBarbaraVarváraBorbálaBarbaraBárbaraBárbara
BaselBâleBaselVasileíaBázelBasileaBasiliaBasilia
CatherineCatherineKatarinaEkateríniKatalinCaterinaCatarinaCatalina
CharlotteCharlotteCharlotte-SaroltaCarlottaCarlotaCarlota
ChristineChristineChristinaChristínaKrisztinaCristinaCristinaCristina
CleopatraCléopâtre-Kleopátra-CleopatraCleópatraCleopatra
DaphneDaphné-Dáfni-Dafne-Dafne
DanaeDanaé-Danái-Danae-Danae
DaniellaDanielleDanielaDaniéla-DanielaDanielaDaniela
DorothyDorothéeDorotheaDorothéaDorottyaDoroteaDoroteiaDorotea
EleanorÉléonoreEleonoraEleonóraEleonóraEleonoraLeonorLeonor
ElizabethÉlisabethElisabethElisávetErzsébetElisabettaElisabete/IsabelElisabet/Isabella
EugeniaEugénie-Eugenía-EugeniaEugêniαEugenia
EmmanuellaEmmanuelle-Emmanouilía-EmanuelaManoelaManuela
EmeraldÉmeraude-Smaragda-EsmeraldaEsmeraldaEsmeralda
Evangelie ÉvangélineEvangelinaEvangelía-EvangelinaEvangelistaEvangelina
EveÈveEvaEviÉvaEvaEvaEva
FelicityFélicitéFelicitas-FelicitásFelicitaFelicidadeFelicidad
FrancesFrançoiseFranziskaFrangiskaFranciskaFrancescaFranciscaFrancisca
FredericaFrédériqueFriedericaFrideríki-FedericaFredericaFederica
GabriellaGabrielleGabrielaGavriéla-GabrielaGabrielaGabriela
HannahAnneHannahAnnaAnnaAnnaAnaAna
HelenHélèneHelenaEléniIlonaElenaHelenaElena
JoannaJeanneJohannaIoánna-GiovannaJoanaJuana
JosephaJosèpheJosepha-JozefaGiuseppaJosefaJosefa
JosephineJoséphineJosephineIosifínaJozefinaGiuseppinaJosefinaJosefina
LouiseLouiseLouisaLouízaLujzaLuisaLuísaLuisa
LucyLucieLuciaLoukíaLucaLuciaLúciaLucía
MagdaleneMadeleineMagdalenaMagdaliníMagdalénaMaddalenaMadalenaMagdalena
MarcellaMarcelleMarcellaMarkélla-MarcellaMarcelaMarcela
MargaretMargueriteMargaretaMargarítaMargarétaMargheritaMargaridaMargarita
MarinaMarineMarinaMarína-MarinaMarinaMarina
MarthaMartheMartheMárthaMártaMartaMartaMarta
MaryMarieMariaMaríaMáriaMariaMariaMaría
NicolaNicoleNicoleNikol---Nicolasa
PaulaPaulePaulaPolínaPaulaPaοlaPaulaPaula
PaulinaPaulinePaulinaPavlínaPaulinaPaolinaPaulinaPaulina
PenelopePénélopePenelopePinelópiPénelopéPenelopePenélopePenélope
QueenReine-Vasílissa-ReginaRainhaReina
RaphaelaRaphaëlleRaffaelaRafailía-RaffaellaRafaelaRafaela
RebeccaRébeccaRebekkaRevékka-RebeccaRebecaRebeca
SimoneSimoneSimoneSimóni-SimonaSimone-
SophiaSophieSophiaSofiaZsófiaSofiaSofiaSofía
SusannaSuzanneSusanneSouzánaZsuzsannaSusannaSusanaSusana
SylviaSylvieSylviaSýlviaSzilviaSilviaSílviaSilvia
TheresaThérèseTheresa-TeréziaTeresaTeresaTeresa
ValerieValérieValerieValériaValériaValeriaValériaValéria
VickyBasiliqueBasilikaVasilikíBazilikaBasilicaBasílicaBasílica
VictoriaVictoireViktoriaViktoríaVictoriaVittoriaVitóriaVictoria
VickoVictoireViktoriaViktoríaVictoriaVittoriaVitóriaVictoria
VioletViolette-Violétta-ViolettaVioletaVioleta
Wendy Wendy Wendy Guenti Wendy

Surnames

According to Christopher Daniell, in 1140 marked what might be the first recorded use of a modern surname, inherited by multiple generations. These were not always regularly formed: for example, the sons of a certain French named Robert used a modern inheritable surname, FitzGerald, in honour of an earlier relative, named Gerald.[4]

While it is normal for a child to be given one of their parents' surnames, traditionally the father's (or increasingly some combination of the two), there is nothing in UK law that explicitly requires this. Under English common law, a person may use any name as a legal name, though most people use their birth name (as registered on the Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, regulated by the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987, which allows only characters that are used in English or Welsh), often using a spouse's surname (proved with a marriage certificate), or (if an adult) a name formally declared by deed poll. No regulations include any specific provisions regarding what names are acceptable. Nonetheless, the General Register Office and various organizations that help with creating and enrolling deed polls will reject anything that is unreasonable (racist, offensive, fraudulent, implying a title of nobility not held, unpronounceable, not in the Latin script, etc.).

Compound surnames

Double-barrelled names may be formed for a variety of reasons, including combining of spouses' surnames upon marriage or, more commonly in the past, adding another family's surname as a condition of inheritance.[5]

Compound surnames in English feature two or more words, often joined by a hyphen or hyphens: for example, Henry Hepburne-Scott. A few families have three or four words making up their surname, such as Charles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton and Alexander Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry. However, it is not unusual for compound surnames to be composed of separate words not linked by a hyphen, for example Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the Conservative Party, whose surname is "Duncan Smith".

See also

References

  1. ↑ "English Names". www.behindthename.com.
  2. ↑ Douglas A. Galbi. Long-Term Trends in Personal Given Name Frequencies in the UK, 2002
  3. ↑ "Baby names in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  4. ↑ Christopher Daniell (2013). From Norman Conquest to Magna Carta: England 1066–1215. Routledge. p. 33. ISBN 9781136356971. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  5. ↑ Denison, David; Hogg, Richard (2008). A History of the English Language. Cambridge University Press. p. 334.