By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Chinese, Swedish, Danish, Portuguese
"horse, graceful; pearl; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"
Short and succinct, Ma is a Chinese feminine name meaning "horse", "graceful", or "elegant" depending on the Han character used. It may also be used as a surname, and occasionally as a masculine…
Brazilian and Portuguese form of Tomyris, Persian
"family"
Familiar in Brazil, Tamires is a Portuguese variation of the strong Tomyris, a name borne by an ancient warrior queen of Massagetae (modern-day Turkmenistan) who defeated Cyrus the Great when he…
Albanian, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Brunhild, German, Norse
"armed for battle"
A variation of the strong and rugged Brunhild (and Brynhildr), Brunilda might feel a little more streamline, a little more like Bruna and Matilda. It saw a small but substantial amount of use in the…
Form of Chryseis, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, "gold"
"gold"
A variation of Chryseis, this form was created by the 14th-century Italian poet Giovanni Boccaccio in work Il Filostrato , in which she is the faithless lover of the Trojan Troilus. While some…
Diminutive of Caterina, Italian, Portuguese, Greek
"pure"
More familiarly spelled as Katia, this C spelling offers a gentler looking option that may be more intuitive if the given name is spelled as Caterina. Sometimes written as Cátia in Portuguese, this…
Feminine form of Leontius, Portuguese, Romanian, Latin
"lion"
An powerful feeling name with flair and familiarity, Leontina is notably used Brazil, Czechia, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Chile, and Angola. Derived from the Latin Leontius, it means "lion",…
Portuguese, English "dweller by the willow, sallows, or salix trees"
"dweller by the willow, sallows, or salix trees"
Salesia is a feminine form of surname Sales, notably associated with the Roman Catholic saint, Francis de Sales who was commended for his deep faith and mild approach to religious divides. A rare…
Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan
"my light; place between the valleys"
While Nuri is typically used for boys in Arabic, the Nurie spelling is used across Ethiopia and a number of Slavic counties as a feminine choice. Meaning "my light" from its Arabic roots, it has a…
Place-name, Portuguese
"wood"
Madeira is an off-beat place name, notably appearing on the map as an island off Morocco, famous for its Madeira wine. Also the name of a city in Ohio (named for John Madeira, a 19th century…
Portuguese form of Lucilia and Lucille, Latin
"light"
An elaborate and sunny form of the Lucy, Lucia, and Lucille family, this spelling is used among Portuguese speakers. Adapted from the Ancient Roman Lucilius and Lucius, it ultimately has its roots…
Portuguese form of Mercedes, Spanish
"mercies"
The Portuguese alternative to Spanish Mercedes, Mercês has a succinct and strong sound and a compact look. As a name, it is borrowed from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las…
Italian and Portuguese variation of Zenaida, Greek
"life of Zeus; dedicated to Zeus"
Popular in Brazil during the 1960s, Zenaide is the Portuguese and Italian form of the Greek Zenaida. Associated with a genus of white-winged doves, a first-century saint and doctor, and the highest…
Dutch variation of Linda, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
"pretty"
A popular and stylish choice in The Netherlands where it ranked in the Top 100 in a recent year, Linde has a sleek look and a pretty meaning. Pronounced just like Linda, it may feel dated in the US…
Elaboration of Graça, Portuguese
"grace"
A name that balances elegance and clunkiness, Gracinda is a Portuguese elaboration of Graça, itself a cognate of English virtue name, Grace. Familiar in Brazil in the 1930s and 40s, notable bearers…
Brazilian, Portuguese
"strong mind"
Sleek and bright, Alcinda is a Portuguese name, used predominantly in Brazil and Lusophone Africa. Ultimately derived from the Ancient Greek name, Alkinoos, via the Latin Alcinous, Spanish Alcínoo,…
Feminine form of Clodomiro, Spanish, Germanic
"loud and famous"
Bold and powerful with a touch of clunkiness about it too, Clodomira is a feminine form of Clodomiro, itself derived from the ancient Germanic name, Chlodomer. Used occasionally in Spanish and…
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
"evangelist, preacher; sharer of good news or gospel"
An elaborate alternative to Evangeline, Evangelista is closely associated with the Four Evangelists (or gospels) in The New Testament, Mathew, Luke, Mark, and John, as such making a spiritual…
Spanish and Portuguese form of Zurishaddai, Herbrew
"my rock is Shaddai, God is my rock"
A distinctive variation of a (masculine) Biblical name, Zurisadai is predominantly used as a feminine name in Mexico, the US, and Peru. Derived from the Hebrew elements tsur meaniing "rock" and…
Variation of Zurisadai, Spanish and Portuguese, Herbrew
A spin on Zurisadai, a rare form of an even rarer Biblical name, this name ultimately comes from the Hebrew elements tsur meaning "rock" and Shaddai , which is a name for God. The original form is a…
Variation of Altin, Altino, Albanian, Portuguese
"gold; raise"
Popular in Brazil back in the 20th century and familiar in Albania, Altina likely emerged as a variation of Altin, itself borrowed from the Turkish word for "gold". Alternatively, it may be a…
