Names by Country and Culture
A name carries a whole culture inside it: the saints a family prays to, the language a grandmother spoke, the day of the week a child was born. This section gathers names from more than 40 countries and traditions, each with its own page of first names, and many with surnames too.
Below is a tasting menu of more than 70 names from across the world, grouped by region, with genuine meanings and origins. Start with the most-browsed lists — Irish names, Japanese names and African names — or, if a meaning matters more to you than a map, try our name meanings collection.
Countries: browse all lists
African Names80+ names
Arabic Names70+ names
British Names80+ names
Chinese Names70+ names
French Names80+ names
German Names80+ names
Greek Names70+ names
Hebrew Names70+ names
Hispanic Names80+ names
Indian Names70+ names
Irish Names70+ names
Italian Names70+ names
Japanese Names70+ names
Korean Names60+ names
Mexican Names60+ names
Muslim Names70+ names
Native American Names60+ names
Roman Names80+ names
Russian Names70+ names
Scottish Names70+ names
Spanish Names80+ names
Viking Names90+ names
Portuguese Names80+ names
Dutch Names80+ names
Polish Names100+ names
Swedish Names70+ names
Norwegian Names100+ names
Finnish Names70+ names
Ukrainian Names60+ names
Brazilian Names100+ names
Puerto Rican Names100+ names
Cuban Names80+ names
Filipino Names90+ names
Vietnamese Names60+ names
Thai Names70+ names
Persian Names100+ names
Turkish Names70+ names
Nigerian Names70+ names
Welsh Names90+ names
Celtic Names100+ names
Latin Names60+ names
Swahili Names70+ names
Egyptian Names70+ namesEuropean names with deep roots
Europe’s naming traditions blend saints’ names, Germanic warrior names and ancient Celtic words. Dive deeper into Scottish names, French names or Viking names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Aoife | Beauty, radiance | Irish |
| Seamus | Irish form of James, “supplanter” | Irish |
| Isla | From the Hebridean island of Islay | Scottish |
| Callum | From Latin columba, “dove” | Scottish |
| Rhys | Ardor, enthusiasm | Welsh |
| Carys | Love | Welsh |
| Amélie | From Amalia, “work” | French |
| Léon | Lion | French |
| Giulia | Italian form of Julia, from the Roman family name Julius | Italian |
| Matteo | Gift of God | Italian |
| Freya | Lady; the Norse goddess of love | Old Norse |
| Leif | Heir, descendant | Old Norse |
| Greta | Short form of Margareta, “pearl” | German / Swedish |
| Emil | From the Roman family name Aemilius, possibly “rival” | German / Scandinavian |
| Zofia | Wisdom (from Greek Sophia) | Polish |
| Eleni | Greek form of Helen, often linked to “torch” or “light” | Greek |
| Dmitri | Devoted to Demeter | Russian |
| Sven | Young man, lad | Scandinavian |
Names from East, South and Southeast Asia
In much of Asia a name’s meaning depends on the characters or script chosen, so the same sound can mean different things. Explore full lists of Chinese names, Korean names and Indian names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sakura | Cherry blossom | Japanese |
| Haruto | Commonly 陽翔, “sun” + “soar” | Japanese |
| Yuki | Snow, or happiness, depending on the kanji | Japanese |
| Ren | Lotus, or love, depending on the kanji | Japanese |
| Min-jun | Often “quick, clever” + “handsome, talented” | Korean |
| Seo-yeon | Often “auspicious” + “beautiful, graceful” | Korean |
| Mei | Beautiful (美) or plum blossom (梅) | Chinese |
| Wei | Great, extraordinary (伟) | Chinese |
| Arjun | Bright, shining; hero of the Mahabharata | Sanskrit |
| Ananya | Unique, without equal | Sanskrit |
| Priya | Beloved | Sanskrit |
| Linh | Spirit, soul | Vietnamese |
| Minh | Bright, clever | Vietnamese |
| Tala | Bright star | Tagalog (Filipino) |
| Anong | Beautiful woman | Thai |
| Darius | Holding firmly to the good | Persian |
| Shirin | Sweet | Persian |
| Elif | First letter of the Arabic alphabet; slender, upright | Turkish |
African and Middle Eastern names
Many African names record the circumstances of a birth — the weekday, the family’s joy, a prayer answered. See Nigerian names, Swahili names and Arabic names for hundreds more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Amara | Grace | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Chidi | God exists | Igbo (Nigeria) |
| Ayodele | Joy has come home | Yoruba (Nigeria) |
| Kofi | Born on a Friday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Ama | Born on a Saturday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Zuri | Beautiful, good | Swahili |
| Jabari | Brave, fearless | Swahili |
| Nia | Purpose | Swahili |
| Amani | Peace | Swahili |
| Thabo | Joy, happiness | Sotho / Tswana |
| Omar | Long-lived, flourishing | Arabic |
| Layla | Night | Arabic |
| Noor | Light | Arabic |
| Yusuf | Arabic form of Joseph, “he will add” | Arabic |
| Aya | Sign, miracle; a verse of the Quran | Arabic |
| Eitan | Strong, firm | Hebrew |
| Noa | Movement (a woman in Numbers 26) | Hebrew |
| Nefertari | Beautiful companion | Ancient Egyptian |
Names from the Americas and the Pacific
Spanish and Portuguese names dominate Latin America, often with a local twist, while Hawaiian and Native American names draw on the land, sea and sky. Browse Mexican names, Brazilian names and Hawaiian names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Mateo | Gift of God | Spanish |
| Ximena | Old Spanish form of Jimena, meaning uncertain | Spanish / Mexican |
| Guadalupe | From Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron | Spanish / Mexican |
| Emiliano | From the Roman name Aemilianus | Spanish / Mexican |
| Marisol | Sea and sun (from María de la Soledad) | Spanish |
| Joaquín | God will establish | Spanish |
| Valentina | Strong, healthy | Latin, popular across Latin America |
| Thiago | Portuguese form of James | Brazilian Portuguese |
| Luana | Enjoyment, contentment (Hawaiian) | Brazilian / Hawaiian |
| Kailani | Sea and sky | Hawaiian |
| Keanu | The cool breeze | Hawaiian |
| Leilani | Heavenly lei or flowers | Hawaiian |
| Makoa | Courageous, fearless | Hawaiian |
| Nizhoni | Beautiful | Navajo |
| Dakota | Friend, ally | Sioux (Dakota) |
| Catalina | Spanish form of Katherine | Spanish |
| Yamila | Beautiful (from Arabic Jamila) | Spanish / Latin American |
| Santiago | Saint James | Spanish |
How to choose a name from another culture
- Check the meaning in its own language. Some names that look pretty in English carry odd or unwanted meanings elsewhere — ask a native speaker if you can.
- Learn the real pronunciation. Irish Aoife is “EE-fa”, Welsh Rhys is “REES”. Our Irish names and Welsh names lists include pronunciation guides.
- Honor your own heritage first. A name from a grandparent’s homeland is a living link to family history, and it gives you a story to tell your child.
- Be thoughtful with sacred names. Some names — especially Native American and religious ones — carry spiritual weight in their communities. Use them respectfully and know what they mean.
- Test it with your last name. Say the full name aloud; cross-cultural combinations like “Amara Novak” or “Leif Martínez” can be lovely when the rhythm works.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries have the most popular baby names in the US?
Many top US names come from Hebrew (Noah, Elijah), Latin (Olivia, Luna), Spanish (Mateo, Camila) and Irish or Scottish roots (Liam, Isla), reflecting America’s immigrant history.
What name means the same thing in many languages?
Names based on saints travel well: John becomes Juan, Jean, Giovanni, Ivan, Seán and Johannes; Mary becomes María, Marie, Maria and Máire.
Is it okay to use a name from a culture that isn’t mine?
Generally yes, as long as you learn its meaning and pronunciation and avoid names that are sacred or reserved within a community. Many cultural names, like Freya or Mateo, are now widely used worldwide.
Why do some African names mean days of the week?
In Akan culture in Ghana, children receive a “day name” based on the weekday they were born — Kofi for a Friday boy, Ama for a Saturday girl — linked to traits believed to go with that day.
How are Chinese and Japanese names ordered?
The family name comes first and the given name second, so in “Wang Wei” the surname is Wang. Many people reverse the order when living in English-speaking countries.