Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
The Witcher Names
Across 4 pages
of 4
Eithne
Gaelic
"nut kernel"
Pretty and soulful name of a goddess from Irish mythology and several Irish saints. Singer Enya, born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, has made the Anglicized spelling familiar. Eithne comes from the vocabulary…
Hildegard
German
"comrade in arms; battle enclosure, battle ground"
Hildegard is an ancient name that sounds it, but it does have sweet short forms Hildie and Hilda to recommend it, as well as several illustrious historical bearers. Strong and striking, it would make…
Ilsa
German variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.
Jacques
French variation of James and Jacob
"supplanter"
Regal and ancient feeling, Jacques has been declining in popularity in its native France, but in the UK, it saw a surprising revival in 2022. Jumping from somewhere around the #2500 mark straight to…
Lambert
French and German
"land brilliant"
Ancient saint's name used for cowardly cartoon lion.
Fringilla
Latin literary name and bird name
Fringilla Vigo is a sorceress and villain in The Witcher series. Her name comes from a genus of singing finches.
Kristina
Scandinavian variation of Christina
"annointed, a Christian"
This streamlined form of a pretty and feminine classic may not be as popular as it once was, but it's never out of style. A royal name best used now in its full glory rather than as nicknames Kris or…
Zephyr
Greek
"west wind"
If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…
Coen
Dutch diminutive of Coenraad, variation of Cohen, or Australian place name, "bold advisor; priest; thunder"
"bold advisor; priest; thunder"
Like many short forms now popular as full names in the Netherlands, Coen—also spelled Koen—originated as the diminutive of the more old-fashioned Coenraad, the Dutch Conrad. In this case, it would be…
Shani
Indian mythological name; Hebrew, Swahili
"scarlet, marvelous"
It would be easy to dismiss this girlish name as invented fluff, but it has roots in several cultures with evocative meanings and references. Shani refers to the "scarlet thread" or theme of a story.…
Siegfried
German
"victorious peace"
Also spelled Sigfrid, this hefty German name has an appropriately majestic meaning: "victorious peace". Fittingly, a famous bearer was the English World War I poet and pacifist Siegfried Sassoon.…
Roderick
German
"famous ruler"
The aristocratic--if not haughty--Roderick was nevertheless consistently in the Top 1000, reaching as high as Number 221 in 1967, when it was not uncommon to run into a Rod or a Roddy. It's at a low…
Ren
Japanese, Latin
"water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"
A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on…
Jaskier
Literary and botanical name
"buttercup"
Jaskier is the original Polish name of the bard character in The Witcher , incorrectly translated in the English versions of the books and video games as Dandelion but really meaning Buttercup. The…
Dandelion
Flower name, from French
"lion's tooth"
The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.
Odo
German
"wealthy"
Odo is an ancient Germanic masculine name with rich historical connections. The more modern form is the new fashionable Otto. Most famously associated with Odo of Bayeux, the medieval bishop who…
Munro
Scottish
"mouth of the river Ro"
Takes Monroe out of the Dead Presidents category and gives it new life.
Triss
Diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness; blessed"
Triss is a short form of Beatrice used for one of the heroic characters in The Witcher . She is a sorceress and ally of the protagonist Geralt whose magic is used for good.
Yennefer
Literary name, variation of Jennifer or Guinevere, Cornish or Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Yennefer is the name of one of the protagists of The Witcher series, first books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and then a video game and now a Netflix series. Yennefer is a powerful fighter and…
Cirilla
Spelling variation of Cyrilla, Latin
"lordly"
This obscure antiquated name is finding new life thanks to The Witcher series, whose heroine is named Princess Cirilla, nickname Ciri. The feminine form of Cyril, Cirilla has now surpassed the…