Female names in English. Unusual male and female English names and their meanings

Until the eleventh century, English names served as the only source of personal identification; the English did not have patronymic names. People were distinguished simply by name, and three old Anglo-Saxon names from that period - Edith, Edward and Edmund - have survived to this day.

Foreign names in England

Most of the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) names that have come down to us are two-base: Æðelgar - æðele (noble) + gār (spear), Eadgifu - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + gifu, gyfu (gift, gift), Eadweard - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + weard (guardian, guardian).

Old English names were given to newborns at a baptism ceremony. Ancient names were given to children depending on the social status of the family. The Norman nobility bore Germanic names - Geoffrey, Henry, Ralph, Richard, Roger, Odo, Walter, William and from Brittany - Alan (Alan) and Brian (Brian).

The Normans proposed the idea of ​​forming Old English female names from men's- Patrick, Patricia, Paul, which are used in England to this day. Between 1150 and 1300 the number of names used began to decline rapidly. By the end of the fourteenth century, most of the male population had one of five names: Henry, John, Richard, Robert, William.

Women's names in the fourteenth century were also not very diverse: Alice, Anne, Elizabeth, Jane and Rose. Since a personal name could no longer individualize one or another member of society, the use of hereditary surnames began, for example, Richard, son of John. This process in London proceeded very slowly, moving down the social ladder from wealthy aristocrats to the poor. In the north of England, even at the end of the sixteenth century, many residents still did not have their own surnames.

In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, New Testament biblical names came into fashion:

• Andrew
• John
• Luke.
• Mark.
• Matthew.
• Peter (Peter).
• Agnes.
• Anne.
• Catherine.
• Elizabeth.
• Jane.
• Mary

Common names in the 18th century in England were John, William and Thomas, and for women - Mary, Elizabeth and Anne. In the 19th century, male names were John, William and James, and female names were Mary, Helen and Anne. In the 20th century, English fashion for names changed significantly every ten years..

Popular English names of the last 500 years

The UK Office for National Statistics conducted an unusual English experiment in the field of family history. She examined more than 34 million British and Irish birth records from 1530 to 2005 and identified the 100 most popular male and female names.

English male names:

• John
• William.
• Thomas.
• George.
• James

English female names:

• Mary
• Elizabeth.
• Sarah.
• Margaret.
• Anna (Ann).

Rare and unusual names

Unusual English names were identified using data from the Office for National Statistics in England. Each name on the list below was identified in 2016 from child registration records in England. The rare case of the name being used, since it was given to no more than three newborns, confirms high degree uniqueness across the country.

The rarest English girl names:

• Adalie. Meaning: “God is my refuge, noble one.”
• Agape. Meaning: "Love" in ancient Greek.
• Birdie. Meaning: "Bird".
• Noam. Meaning: "Pleasantness."
• Onyx. Meaning: "Claw or nail" in ancient Greek. Black gem.

The rarest English boy names:

• Ajax. Meaning: "Eagle" in ancient Greek mythology.
• Dougal. Meaning: "Dark Stranger" in Gaelic.
• Henderson. Meaning: Traditional English surname.
• Jools. Meaning: "Descended from Jupiter."
• Marvelous. Meaning: wonderful, beautiful, wonderful. More traditionally, it is a Nigerian girl's name.

Modern tendencies

Fashion trends in names are always in dynamic motion. New names were born, old ones returned from the distant past, regaining forgotten popularity, and sometimes the British simply borrowed names from other peoples. England has its own characteristics - the fashion for names is also dictated by the royal family. The names of the royal family members Harry, William, Elizabeth, George, are especially popular among the people. In 2017, the UK National Statistical Service ONS published an annual report containing data on the names of newborns in 2016.

The boy's name Oliver leads the list, and the female name Amelia leads the list.. This star couple has held this championship since 2013. Although in fact, many believe that in London the male name Muhammad is in first place. If you take a closer look at the list of the best baby names in England and Wales, this opinion seems to be true.

Muhammad - Arabic name and has several spellings, so in the statistics given the name Muhammad appears several times. Muhammad ranked 8th, Mohammed ranked 31st, Mohammad ranked 68th, with a total of 7,084. And the name Oliver was given to 6,623 newborns, so Mohammed has an obvious advantage over Oliver. ONS representatives attribute this popularity to Muslim name in England with social changes in the country.

Ahead of ONS, the English website for parents BabyCentr released its official version of the 100 best names for children in 2017. The lists are compiled from a survey of more than 94,665 parents of newborns (51,073 boys and 43,592 girls). Olivia again took first place in the female names category. This year, the name Muhammad confidently surpassed the name Oliver, taking the leading position. The site also notes that in England they have begun to give more gender-neutral names, for example, the name Harley is called almost the same for male and female children.

Best English female names of 2017:

Best English male names of 2017:

Meanings of English names

Numerous life stories, research and theory suggest that names help shape a person's personality. Names are certainly not the only force in life that causes a person to develop in a certain way and become a person, but the importance of a name was noticed in ancient times.

English male names and their meanings

Meanings of English female names

1. Olivia. The name is in Latin oliva, meaning "olive".
2. Sofia (Sophia). The legends about her probably originated from the medieval "Hagia Sophia", meaning "Holy Wisdom".
3. Amelia. A mixture of the medieval names Emilia and Amalia. In Latin it means "industry" and "endeavor." Its Teutonic meaning is "protector".
4. Lily. In English, the meaning of Lily is: the lily flower is a symbol of innocence, purity and beauty.
5. Emily. Emily is a feminine given name, derived from the Roman feminine given name Aemilia. The Latin name Aemilia, in turn, may come from the Latin word aemulus (or from the same root as aemulus) - it means "rival".
6. Ava. Possibly from the Latin avis, meaning "bird". It may also be a short form of Chava ("life" or "living"), the Hebrew form of Eve.
7. Isla. The traditional usage is primarily Scottish, derived from Islay, which is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers.
8. Isabella. Variant of Elizabeth meaning "dedicated to God" in Hebrew.
9. Mia. In Latin, the meaning of the name Mia is: desired child.
10. Isabelle. The Hebrew meaning of the name Isabel is: dedicated to God.
11. Ella. Meaning in English: Abbreviation of Eleanor and Ellen - beautiful fairy.
12. Poppy. It is a feminine name from the name of the poppy flower, derived from the Old English popæg and referring to various species of Papaver. The name is gaining popularity in the UK.
13. Freya. In Scandinavia, the meaning of the name is lady. Derived from the name Freya, the Scandinavian goddess of love and fertility and the mythological wife of Odin.
14. Grace. The English meaning of the word is "grace", derived from the Latin gratia, which means blessing of God.
15. Sophie. In Greek the meaning of the name Sophie is wisdom, wise.
16. Evie in Hebrew the meaning of the name Evie is life, living.
17. Charlotte. Charlotte is a feminine given name, the feminine form of the masculine name Charlot, a diminutive of Charles. Of French origin meaning "free man" or "small".
18. Aria. Italian - "air". In music, an aria is usually a solo in an opera. In Hebrew it comes from Ariel, meaning lion of God, and its Teutonic origins are related to the bird.
19. Evelyn. In French: From a surname derived from the French Aveline, meaning hazelnut.
20. Phoebe. Feminine form of Greek phoibe (bright), which comes from phoibo (bright). Phoebe appears in Greek mythology as the name of Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. In poetry, Phoebe represents the moon.

Each of us received a name at birth. However, when we look at our lives, we wonder who we would be if our names were different.

At first glance, it seems that choosing a name for a girl is a simple matter. But how difficult it can sometimes be to find a suitable English female name! After all, opinions in the family often differ, and young parents have to defend their choice in front of grandparents, friends and close relatives.

You can choose a name by month, by ear, by sound, or by the meaning that lies in it, or simply in honor of a relative whose fate was interesting and exciting. Based on your own considerations or on some other parameters, you still have to choose a name, because a child cannot live without a name.

We can discover among English female names French (Olivia), Arabic (Amber), Aramaic (Martha), Persian (Esther, Jasmine, Roxanne), Greek (Angel, Selina), Hebrew (Michelle), Spanish (Dolores, Linda), Italian (Bianca, Donna, Mia ), Latin (Cordelia, Diana, Victoria), Scandinavian (Brenda), Celtic (Tara), Old English (Wayne...), Slavic (Nadia, Vera) and Turkish (Ayla).

One more interesting feature English speaking countries is to address a person in a diminutive form. In our country, such treatment is, as a rule, unacceptable, and can sometimes even be considered humiliating.

How to choose an English female name? It should not be too long, but it should be easy to pronounce. It should also be taken into account that in a home atmosphere the name is often transformed into a diminutive form. In addition, the first name must be combined with the last name.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ENGLISH FEMALE NAMES AS A LIST WITH DECODED MEANINGS BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK .

It is known that the character of a child is influenced not only by the month of birth, but also by the time of year in which he was born. Knowing this influence, with the help of a name you can adjust the future character of the child.

Thus, summer girls are easy to influence; they are soft and trusting, so you need to choose “firm” names for them.

Spring girls are fickle, even a little flighty, self-critical, and have a sharp mind. At the same time, they have a good sense of humor, but some self-doubt. Therefore, for spring girls it is also worth choosing “solid-sounding” names.

Winter children are characterized by selfishness and temper. They know what they want and always achieve their goal. Therefore, for “winter” girls it is better to choose names that are soft and gentle, balancing their sometimes very complex character.

Autumn children have an easy-going character. They are serious and reasonable, have different talents. The name has almost no effect on autumn girls, so they can be given any name they like.

Let's look at the most popular English female names today. Below you can find a list of popular modern female English names.

Choose something cool, but suitable name for your child is not an easy task. After all, your child will live with it all his life! Many parents begin to rack their brains even before his birth, trying to figure everything out and agree on opinions, and also so that later, when the baby grows up, it doesn’t occur to him to change his name. You need to choose wisely and without fanaticism, don't forget this. Well, we bring to your attention interesting names in the USA. Check it

On the Nameberry website you can not only choose a special, cool and pleasant-to-hear name, but also find out its true meaning and popularity. Also available a great opportunity weigh in on a list of the decade's biggest trends, whether you're a trendsetter or a follower.

A name is a gift so meaningful, so powerful and personal that only you can select it for your child.
A name is a gift so significant, so powerful and personal that only you can choose it for your child.

Today names that start with " Ad" or end with " lee", are among the most popular for children. So run into a bunch of kids called Kinsley ( Kinsley), Bentley ( Bently) or even Edeline ( Addelyn), in our time it becomes more probable than, say, in the 50s. By the way, about them. Meet tons of Jennifer ( Jennifer) or Jasons ( Jason) was much more likely than today. And now, children in the USA and Britain, in contrast to Russian names, are quite willingly given names of the so-called “superlative degree”. Get it? Well, for example, such as Legend, Royalty or King. Would you like this for yourself? They could pathetically declare to someone: “I am a legend!” and Will Smith himself would envy you. Hurry up to change the names before they become boring, because they are becoming more popular every day!

Also on the list of fashionable baby names are the names of celebrities. These days, naming your baby Lennon, Monroe or Hendrix can take the world by storm! We believe that this trend is worth following. Why? Well... because paying homage to legendary stars can inspire your child to become the coolest kid in the world!

We would not like to upset you, but Mother Murphy with her laws is not at all against it. One of them, for example, reads: “No matter how harmless the name you give your child may seem, he will definitely be teased with this name.” So, name your child so that such a law does not come into effect.

Popular American names

List of male names:
Noah
Liam
William
Mason
James
Benjamin
Jacob
Michael
Elijah
Ethan

List of female names:
Emma
Olivia
Ava
Sophia
Isabella
Mia
Charlotte
Abigail
Emily
Harper

Well, if you still want to know the history, then on the Social Security Administration website ( Social Security Administration or S.S.A., but don't read backwards tho) there is a whole table with the five most popular male and female names in the United States for newborn flowers of life, starting from 1917 to 2016. Over the past 100 years, for example, the name " Michael" still holds the lead (44 times), while the female name " Mary"over the years has become a leader 39 times.

Other American names

While some names come and go, those that we have indicated below, be that as it may, are “stuck” with the people thoroughly. They may not be #1 today, but they will certainly never go out of fashion and are heading towards the top of the list every day.

English male names:

• Everett. Means "brave as a wild boar" - " brave as a wild boar" English version of the German name " Eberhard».
• Henry. German name meaning "household manager" - " ruler of the household" or "household manager."
• Charlie. "Free guy" - " free man" English soft form of the name "Charles".
• Edwin. "Prosperous Friend" - " prosperous friend" or "rich friend." English name.
• Sam. The Hebrew meaning of the name is “to hear.” Also means "declared by God" - " told by God" English name, full form - "Samuel".
• Marshall. French name meaning "guardian of horses" - " the keeper of hours».
• Calvin. Latin name, meaning "bald" or "deprived of cover" - " bald boy».
• Edgar. English name meaning "great spearman" - " great spear man.»

English female names:

• Lola. Spanish name meaning "strong woman."
• Lillian. French name, derived from the name "Elizabeth" (Elizabeth). Oddly enough, it means “lily”.
• Stella. Latin name, derived from " stellar", which means "starry".
• Genevieve(read as, "Genevieve") - Genevieve. Good name from France. Means "white wave".
• Cora. Not the one in the trees. It's like Corinna, only Cora. In ancient Greek it means “filled heart” - “ filled heart" In mythology, the name Kore was an epithet of Persephone, the goddess of fertility and mistress of the underworld.
• Evelyn. Evelina - Jewish name, meaning "life force". Traditionally an English surname that was a boy's name, but is now used primarily for girls.
• Lucy. Lucille is an English Catholic name meaning "light-bringer". You can say " Lucia» as well.
• Clara. She stole corals, but in general she is “light” and “clean”. Latin name.
• Ruby. Again Latin for "dark red gem".
• Eva["i:və]. The name of the progenitor of all mankind means "life-giver" or simply "life". Cool, right? The Latin form of the Hebrew name "Eve".

Rare and unusual English names

A unique name is chosen as a symbol of a unique, special child and family.
A unique name is chosen as a symbol of an exceptional, special child and family.

TOP 5 unusual male names in English

• Prescott. This superb English name meaning "Rectory" was given to 18 boys in 2016. It can be shortened to "Scott" as a nickname if he thinks it sounds too strict.
• Grover. Although there were many Grovers during the 20th century, such as President Cleveland, as well as the lovable blue weirdo from Sesame Street. Another famous Grover is jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. But only 19 boys were named Grover in 2016.
• Oberon. The character Oberon in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is the king of fairies and elves, but the name itself, with the accented "o" at the beginning, conveys a much more masculine image. Oberon was also seen as a fairy-tale king in an ancient Germanic legend, a French heroic song, in dramatic work for the Ben-Johnson Mask Theater and in several operas. He also appeared in the Disney animated film Gargoyles. In ancient England the name was written as "Auberon".
• Regis. This is sacred French name means "royal". Today this name is most often associated with the venerable talk show host Regis Philbin
  (Regis Philbin). Only 10 parents chose this name for their son in 2016, so chances are your son will be the only "Regis" in your life.
• Thelonious. Best known as the name of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, 20 boys received this unique name in 2016. Origin obliged German name"Tillman" means "one who tills the land" and "Thelonius" is a Latinized variation of the word.

TOP 5 unusual female names in English

Since many people are looking for a "unique" name, finding something truly unique can be extremely difficult, especially when it comes to girls. Historically, girls' names have tended to be fashionable, while boys' names have been more conservative. For example, while the most popular girl's name changed every 10 years, the name "Michael" has remained in the top ten for over 75 years. Thanks to this, there are more popular beautiful female names than male ones. In addition, many trending “unusual” names for girls come from men’s names. So if you're looking for something unusual but distinctly feminine, then you might have to dig a little deeper.

The names below are given to 10 or fewer baby girls each year, so of course there's a small chance she'll have to share her unique name with someone else. But, if you want your new addition to the family to stand out among the Emmas, Olivias and Sophias, then feel free to choose one of the unusual names below for your little princess.

• Flannery. You may not have gotten around to reading Flannery O'Connor's most famous story, "Everything That Rises Must Converge." But don't let that stop you from giving this warm-sounding one a try. Irish name "Flannery" comes from "flann" and "gal", which means "ruddy" and "bravery" in Irish. Only 10 little girls received this name in 2016.
• Alberta. The English name, meaning "noble" and "bright", probably comes from the western province of Canada. However, there is information that the province is actually named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Although the name may be quite popular abroad, only 9 girls were named with it in 2016.
• Sigourney. Who knows, maybe the new “Alien” would have turned out quite tolerable if it had had the main woman of the entire franchise. Not many parents name their daughters Sigourney. In fact, only 8 families chose it in 2016, but we do know that it is the name of the winner (which is what it means, by the way). Even Sigourney Weaver herself once admitted in an interview that she changed her first name “Susan”, inspired by a character from the novel “The Great Gatsby” by Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
• Talullah. The main thing is that it is not Tanunnah. While celebrities like Demi Moore, Patrick Dempsey and Philip Seymour Hoffman have named their daughters Tallulah, only seven families chose this charming Choctaw name meaning "jumping water" in 2016. Previously associated with stage and screen's greatest star, Talullah Bankhead, the name has now largely established itself as the go-to name for Southern belles. Another meaning of the name is “shining girl.”
• Antigone. Just like the name of the anti-theft system. The meaning of the name is “instead of a child.” If you want to make a solid name choice with a good history, Antigone is a good choice. The brave and principled heroine of the oft-told story in Greek mythology is right on target and then some. Although the name has been known throughout history, parents have made it a slightly unusual choice for their daughters - only 8 families named their daughters Antigone in 2016. We'd say "Tig" sounds pretty cute too. Girls named Antigone are distinguished by their courage and independence. In childhood, this manifests itself in the form of pronounced self-will and excessive curiosity even for a child.

Double English names

If one name is not enough for you, you can try another route. In fact, giving children double names is a relatively recent tradition. Until the 18th century, people got by with only one first and last name. For a long time, the source of names was mainly the only one - a list of saints and holidays in calendar order (church calendar). But there were quite a lot of variations on the theme of church names among the people: in English, the Latin form “Maria” was transformed into “Mary” (Mary), which, in turn, gave the diminutive “Molly” (Molly), and then “Polly” ( Polly). The name "Joannes" comes from Hebrew. Yohanan, gave in medieval England the forms “Jan”, “Iohn” and “John” (John), as well as the diminutives “Jankin”, “Jackin”, and only then popular name"Jack" (Jack). And the female form “Ioanna”, borrowed from the French “Jeanne” (Jeanne), immediately turned into three independent names: “Jane” (Jane), “Jean” (Jean) and “Joan” (Joan).

That's all for us. If you suddenly decide to move to the USA and start a family there, you will definitely know what to name your offspring!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

There has always been a fashion for foreign names, the list of women's ones is especially rich. In modern society there is a popularization of English names.

Scientists have conducted research to determine the origin of the name and its meaning. Initially, in the English language, the main role was played by a person’s nickname, reflecting character traits or abilities. Formation in such a case came from nouns or adjectives.

The conquest of Britain by the Vikings led to a change in the situation: there was a sharp change from the original English variants to the Norman ones. In modern society, a small part of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion bear old English names.

During the 16th century, in the wake of the spread of the religious movement, names taken from the Bible became popular.

Among them:

• Mary, which is a derivative of Mary;
• Anna, translated as “grace,” which belonged to the wife of the prophet Samuel;
• Maryann, formed from the merger of Anne and Mary;
• Sarah or mistress. That was the name of Abraham's wife.

The next revolution that led to the emergence of innovations in the naming of children in English society was the appearance of printed materials. Some mothers began to choose idols for girls among the heroines of works by masters of literature.

Thus, the following came into use: Jessica, Sylvia, Ophelia, Stella, Julia, Juliet, Jessica, Viola.

Also, the spread of literary masterpieces revived ancient beautiful names: Anita, Jacqueline, Amber, Angelina, Daisy, Michelle and Ruby.

Top modern English names

In modern society, it is accepted that a child can be named so that it sounds euphonious. It is not at all necessary that the prototype be a character or a historical figure.

Some are shaped in such a way that a girl could acquire personality traits or the name would begin to determine future fate.

Most Popular English options with the meaning are given in the table:

Origins in modern times

The fashion for unusual and interesting names is akin to the fashion for clothes. She is changeable. Over the course of different periods, popular female or male names change.

Both the original form and a modern interpretation are used. Today, according to statistics provided by the UK National Statistics Service, the top three are occupied by Olivia, Emma and Sophie.

It is not only literature that influences popularity. Modern society tends to create idols, which become the heroes of popular films or TV series.

Among the names that were popular in 2014, Arya, the title character of the cult series “Game of Thrones,” was in 24th place in the compiled ranking. Gradually, other modern versions appeared that came from this series - Sansa, Brienne, Catelyn, Daenerys.

Another literary work, which turned into a cult serial film - this is Twilight. Since 2008, Bella or Isabella have been on the list of the most popular on the shores of Foggy Albion.

You can't ignore Potter. Old English names included Hermione in their list, which again gained popularity after the release of not a book, but a series of films about a young wizard.

But not only works can influence popularity. Also, the number of uses of a particular variant may be influenced by the success of the living host. In England at one time it was very popular to name girls Margaret, as the Prime Minister.

Cute and unusual, short and lengthy - history knows many different names. Some show business stars prefer to stand out from the crowd and name their children very unusual.

Bruce Willis named his children after his favorite horses, Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter Apple, which means “apple.” No one can deny the fact that a name can have an impact on character. It’s not for nothing that Captain Vrungel said, “Whatever you call the yacht, that’s how it will sail.”

Related Posts

In the variety of English names you can find an option for every taste. In this article, we will look at the main English girl names and their meanings, and you can safely choose your favorite.

The choice of a name has long been taken seriously. It was believed that the meaning of a name could largely determine a person’s fate and the qualities of his character. But even today, great attention is paid to the meaning of the name and its origin.

Meaning of the name

Before choosing a name for a child, many people want to know what the origin of the names are and what they meant in their original form.

Let's look at popular female English names with translation. There may be different versions about their origin and meaning, and it is not always possible to unambiguously establish the translation - we will give the most established meanings.

• Melanie: comes from Greek and means “dark”
• Florence: Latin for “blooming”
• Agatha: Greek for "good"
• Zoe: Greek for "life"
• Rebecca (Rebecca): originates in Hebrew and means “to bind, to fasten”
• Ruth (Ruth): translated from Hebrew as “friend”
• Barbara (Barbara): from Greek - “stranger”
• Amanda (Amanda): derived from the Latin amandus - “worthy of love”
• Victoria (Victoria): translated from Latin as “victory”
• Irene (Irene): in Greek - “peace, tranquility”
• Miranda: from the Latin word mirandus (“wonderful”)
• Bridget: an Irish name that was originally Brighid, meaning "exalted, enthusiastic"
• Sophia (Sophia): translated from Greek as “wisdom”
• Margaret: from the Greek word for "pearl"
• Katherine: Greek name, most common version of the meaning is "pure"
• Deborah (Deborah): translated from Hebrew as “bee”
• Vivian: Derived from Latin vivus "living"
• Emma (Emma): from Germanic names meaning “whole”

Some girls' names in English have transparent origins. Ruby is similar to the word ruby ​​and is of Latin origin meaning “red”. And the name Harper, which was borne by the famous American writer Harper Lee, originally served as a surname and referred to harpists (harp - harp).

It's even easier to guess the meaning of names like Daisy and April. The first repeats the word daisy (daisy), and the second - April, which, in turn, is related to the Latin verb aperire "to open." Both of these names did not come into active use in English until the 19th century.

When choosing names for girls in English, we pay attention to the meaning; it is not always possible to find out. And it’s not just that it’s difficult to establish the history of a word: the meaning may simply be missing. like this interesting story has a female name Vanessa (Vanessa). It was invented by Jonathan Swift for the poem "Cadenus and Vanessa", combining the first letters of his friend's name.

Royal names

If we are talking about Great Britain, then for many the first association with it is the royal family. Although politics has historically been a man's business, women have also had their influence. What beautiful female names in English do we find at the royal court?

Perhaps one of the main women in British history and the most famous queen is Queen Victoria. She ruled the country for more than 60 years until 1901. Victoria is her first name. At birth she was also given the middle name Alexandrina. But the main one was Victoria, and it was this that was entrenched in history: the era of her reign is called Victorian. Many geographic areas are named after the queen, such as a city in Canada and a state in Australia. The name Victoria remains popular today.

The current Queen of Great Britain is Elizabeth II. Her full name sounds like Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. Every element in it is a tribute to other members of the royal family. She received the name Elizabeth in honor of her mother, Alexandra in honor of her great-grandmother, and Mary in honor of her grandmother. Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 and has already surpassed her famous predecessor Queen Victoria in terms of the length of her reign.

The name Diana is very popular in England. In the royal family, it was worn by Princess Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles. Often her name was shortened and called simply Lady Di.

In politics, influential English women are not just the royal family. One of the most significant politicians was Margaret Thatcher. She became the first woman in Europe to hold the post of prime minister.

Name options

We must not forget that English names often have abbreviated versions, which are very popular. As the example of Lady Di shows, abbreviations are used even in relation to government officials.

It often happens that abbreviated versions become fixed in the language and become independent names. For example:

• Sandra (Sandra): shortened version of Alexandra (Alexandra)
• Stacy: short for Anastasia

In this case, the original version may be completely lost. For example, the form Alice (Alice / Alice) is derived from Adelaide (Adelaide), and in its original form the name sounded like Adalheidis.

Some names have different variants writing. This is probably best seen in the forms Katherine / Catharine / Catherine / Catherina / Katharine / Katherina. Added to this variety are abbreviations that can be used as a full name: Cat / Cathy / Kat / Kate / Kathie / Kathy / Katie / Kitty / Cate.

Male-female

In the English language, it is quite common to find names that can refer to both women and men, without differing in any way in form.

• Ash
• Cameron
• Kerry (Kerry)
• Kim (Kim)
• Morgan (Morgan)
• Parker

This situation is often typical for abbreviated versions. Therefore, beautiful English female names can also be obtained from shortening the male form.

• Alex (Alex): short for the male name Alexander (Alexander) and the female name Alexandra (Alexandra)
• Billie: short for Bill and female form named William - Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina)
• Chris: can be derived from Christopher, Christian or Christine
• Frankie (Frankie): from the male Frank (Frank) or the female Frances (Francis)
• Jackie (Jackie): from Jack (Jack) or Jacqueline (Jacqueline)
• Nat (Nat): variant of the forms Nathan (Nathan), Nathaniel (Nathaniel), Natalie (Natalie)
• Robbie: abbreviation for the masculine Robert or feminine Roberta
• Ronnie (Ronnie): can be derived from Ronald (Ronald) or Veronica (Veronica)
• Sam: abbreviation of male Samuel, Samson or female Samantha.
• Steph (Steph): a variant of the forms Stephen (Stephen) or Stephanie (Stephanie)
• Terry: derived from the male Terence (Terence) or the female Theresa / Teresa (Teresa)

English names in Russian

Already in the given examples of English female names you can find ones for which it is easy to find Russian analogues. They have a single source of origin (for example, Greek or Biblical) and have long been entrenched in the Russian language.

• Anna - Anna
• Maria / Mary - Maria
• Sophia - Sofia
• Katherine / Catherine - Catherine
• Victoria - Victoria
• Alexandra - Alexandra
• Eva - Eva
• Diana - Diana
• Anastasia - Anastasia
• Veronica - Veronica

Other names, although not typical for Russian-speaking people, are borrowed into Russian. Therefore, if you want to find beautiful English female names that sound unusual, but at the same time do not hurt the ears in our society, pay attention to these options:

• Emma - Emma
• Sabrina - Sabrina
• Camilla - Camilla
• Laura - Laura / Laura
• Irene - Irene