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]

Given names

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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 of those 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 frequent male given names accounted for close to 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

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Translations of male English given names
English French German Greek Italian Portuguese Spanish
Aaron Aaron Aaron Aarón Aronne Arão Aarón
Abel Abel Abel Ável - Abel Abel
Abraham Abraham Abraham Avraám Abramo Abraão Abraham
Adam Adam Adam Adám - Adão Adán
Adolph Adolphe Adolf - Adolfo Adolfo Adolfo
Adrian Adrien Adrian Adrianós Adriano Adriano Adrián
Albert Albert Albert Alvértos Alberto Alberto Alberto
Alexander Alexandre Alexander Aléxandros Alessandro Alexandre Alejandro
Alex Alexis Alexis Aléxis Alessi - Alej
Alexios Alexios Alexios Aléxios Alessio Aleixo Alejo
Alfred Alfred Alfred - Alfredo Alfredo Alfredo
Alphonse Alphonse Alfons - Alfonso Afonso Alfonso
Amadeus Amédée Amadeus Amedaíos Amedeo Amadeu Amadeo
Amos Amos Amos - Amos Amós Amós
Anastasius Anastase - Anastásios Anastasio Anastácio Anastásio
Andrew André Andreas Andréas Andrea André Andrés
Angel Ange Engel Ángelos Angelo Anjo Ángel
Anthony Antoine Anton Antónios Antonio Antônio Antonio
Arcadius Arcadius Arkadius Arkádios Arcadio Arcádio Arcadio
Archangel Archange Erzengel Archángelos Arcangelo Arcanjo Arcángel
Arnold Arnaud Arnold - Arnoldo Arnaldo Arnoldo
Arnulf Arnoul Arnolf - Arnolfo Arnulfo Arnulfo
Arthur Arthur Arthur - Arturo Artur Arturo
Asher Aser Ascher - Aser Aser Aser
Bartholomew Barthélemy Bartholomäus Vartholomaíos Bartolomeo Bartolomeu Bartolomé
Basil Basilic Basilikum Vasilikós Basilico Manjericão Albahaca
Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Veniamín Beniamino Benjamim Benjamin
Billy Basile - Vasíleios Basilio Basílio Basílio
Caleb Caleb Kaleb - Caleb Calebe Caleb
Carloman Carloman Karlmann - Carlomanno Carlomano Carlomán
Charles Charles Karl Károlos Carlo Carlos Carlos
Christian Christian Christian Christianós Cristiano Cristiano Cristián
Christopher Christophe Christoph Christóforos Cristoforo Cristóvão Cristóball
Conrad Conrad Konrad - Corrado Conrado Conrado
Constantine Constantin Konstantin Konstantínos Costantino Constantino Constantino
Cornelius Cornélius Cornelius Kornílios Cornelio Cornélio Cornelio
Damian Damien Damian Damianós Damiano Damião Damián
Daniel Daniel Daniel Daniíl Daniele Daniel Daniel
David David David Davíd Davide Davi David
Dennis Denis Dennis Dionýsios Dionisio Dionísio Dionisio
Edmund Edmond Edmund - Edmundo Edmundo Edmundo
Edgar Edgar Edgar - Edgardo Edgar Edgar
Edward Édouard Eduard Edouárdos Edoardo Eduardo Eduardo
Eli Éli Eli - Eli Eli Eli
Elijah Élie Elias Ilías Elia Elías Elías
Emmanuel Emmanuel Emanuel Emmanouíl Emanuele Manuel Manuel
Ephraim Éphraïm Ephraim Efraím Efraim Efraim Efraín
Eric Éric Erich Erríkos Erico Érico Erico
Ethan - Etan - - - -
Eugene Eugène Eugen Evgénios Eugenio Eugênio Eugenio
Eustace Eustache Eustachius Efstáchyos Eustachio Eustácio Eustaquio
Evans Evangelos - Evángelos Evangelo - -
Ezekiel Ézéchiel Ezechiel - Ezechiele Ezequiel Ezequiel
Ezra Esdras Esra - Ésdra Esdras Esdras
Felix Félix Felix - Felice Félix Félix
Francis François Franz Frangiskos Francesco Francisco Francisco
Frederick Frédéric Friedrich Frideríkos Federico Frederico Federico
Gabriel Gabriel Gabriel Gavriíl Gabriele Gabriel Gabriel
Gavin Gabin Gabinus - Gavino Gavino Gabino
George Georges Georg Geórgios Giorgio Jorge Jorge
Gerald Gérald Gerhold - Giraldo Geraldo Geraldo
Gerard Gérard Gerhard - Gerardo Gerardo Gerardo
Giles Gilles Ägidius Aigidiós Egidio Egídio Egidio
Gregory Grégoire Gregor Grigórios Gregorio Gregório Gregorio
Guy Guy Guido - Guido Guido Guido
Harold Haroud Harald - Aroldo Haroldo Haroldo
Hector - - Éktor Ettore Heitor Hector
Henry Henri Heinrich Enríkos Enrico Henrique Enrique
Herbert Herbert Heribert - Erberto Herberto Herberto
Hezekiah Ézéchias Hiskija - Ezechia Ezequias Ezequías
Hiram Hiram Hiram - Hiram Hirão Hiram
Homer - - Ómiros Omero Homero -
Honorius Honoré Honorius - Onorio Honório Honorio
Horace Horace Horaz - - Horácio Horacio
Howard Houard Howard - Hovard Howard Howard
Hubert Hubert Hubert Ouvértos Uberto Huberto Huberto
Hugh Hugues Hugo - Ugo Hugo Hugo
Isaac Isaac Isaak Isaák Isacco Isaac Isaac
Isaiah Isaïe Jesaja Isaías Isaia Isaías Isaías
Israel Israël Israel - Israele Israel Israel
Jack Jacques Hans Giánnis Gianni Juca Juan
Jacob Jacob Jakob Iákovos Giacobbe Jacó Jacobo
James Jacques Jakob Iákovos Giacomo Thiago Santiago
Jared Yared Jered - Iared Jarede Jared
Jeffrey Geoffroy Gottfried - Goffredo Godofredo Godofredo
Jeremiah Jérémie Jeremias Ieremías Geremia Jeremias Jeremías
Jerome Jérôme Hieronymus Ierónymos Gerolamo Jerônimo Jerónimo
Jesse Jessé Isai Iessaías Iesse Jessé Jesé
Jesus Jésus Jesus Iisoús Gesù Jesus Jesús
John Jean Johann Ioánnis Giovanni João Juan
Jonah Jonas Jona Ionás Giona Jonas Jonás
Jonas Jonas Jona Ionás Giona Jonas Jonás
Jonathan Jonathan Jonatan Ionáthan Gionatan Jônatas Jonatán
Joseph Joseph Josef Iosíf Giuseppe José José
Joshua Josué Josua Iisoús Giosuè Josué Josué
Josiah Josias Joschija - Giosia Josias Josías
Judah Juda Juda - Giuda Judá Judá
Julian Julien Julian Ioulianós Giuliano Juliano Julián
Julius Jules Julius Ioulios Giulio Júlio Julio
Lawrence Laurent Lorenz Lavrentios Lorenzo Laurêncio Lorenzo
Lazarus Lazare Lazarus Lázaros Lazzaro Lázaro Lázaro
Levi Lévi Levi - Levi Levi Leví
Lothair Lothaire Lothar - Lotario Lotário Lotario
Louis Louis Ludwig Loízos Luigi Luís Luis
Luke Luc Lukas Loukás Luca Lucas Lucas
Marianos - - Mariánnos Mariano Mariano Mariano
Mark Marc Markus Márkos Marco Marcos Marcos
Martin Martin Martin - Martino Martinho Martín
Matthew Matthieu Matthäus Matthaíos Matteo Mateus Mateo
Micah Michée Micha Michaías Michea Miqueias Miqueas
Michael Michel Michael Michaíl Michele Miguel Miguel
Moses Moïse Mose Moysís Mosè Moisés Moisés
Nathan Nathan Natan Nathanaíl Natan Natã Natán
Nicholas Nicolas Nikolaus Nikòlaos Niccolò Nicolau Nicolás
Noah Noé Noach Noe Noè Noé Noé
Octavian Octave Oktavian Oktavianós Ottavio Otávio Octavio
Orestes Oreste Orest Oréstis Oreste Orestes Orestés
Orpheus Orphée Orpheus Orféas Orfeo Orfeu Orfeo
Oscar Oscar Oskar - Oscar Óscar Óscar
Oswald Osvald Oswald - Osvaldo Osvaldo Osvaldo
Otto Otton Otto Óthon Ottone Otão Otón
Patrick Patrice Patrick Patríkios Patrizio Patrício Patricio
Paul Paul Paul Pávlos Paolo Paulo Pablo
Peter Pierre Peter Pétros Pietro Pedro Pedro
Phaedon Phédon - Faídon Fedone - Fedón
Philip Philippe Philipp Fílippos Filippo Filipe Felipe
Phineas Phinée Pinchas - Fineas Fineias Fineas
Plutarch Plutarque Plutarch Ploútarchos Plutarco Plutarco Plutarco
Prosper Prosper Prosper - Prospero Próspero Próspero
Ralph Raoul Ralph - Raul Raul Raúl
Raphael Raphaël Raphael Rafaíl Raffaele Rafael Rafael
Reuben Ruben Ruben - Ruben Rubem Rubén
Richard Richard Richard Richárdos Riccardo Ricardo Ricardo
Robert Robert Robert Rovertos Roberto Roberto Roberto
Roderick Rodrigue Roderich Rodríco Rodrigo Rodrigo Rodrigo
Rudolph Rodolphe Rudolf Rodólfos Rodolfo Rodolfo Rodolfo
Samson Samson Simson Sampsón Sansone Sansão Sansón
Samuel Samuel Samuel Samouíl Samuele Samuel Samuel
Saul Saül Saul - Saul Saulo Saúl
Seth Seth Set - Set Sete Set
Simeon Siméon Simeon Symeón Simeone Simeão Simeón
Simon Simon Simon Symeón Simone Simão Simón
Solomon Salomon Salomo Solomón Salomone Salomão Salomón
Spyrus Spyridon - Spyrídon Spiridione - Spiridión
Stanislaus Stanislas Stanislaus - Stanislao Estanislau Estanislao
Stephen Stéphane Stephan Stéfanos Stefano Estevão Esteban
Tammy Athanase Athanasius Athanásios Atanasio Atanásio Atanasio
Theodore Théodore Theodor Theódoros Teodoro Teodoro Teodoro
Thomas Thomas Thomas Thomás Tommaso Tomás Tomás
Timothy Timothée Timotheus Timótheos Timoteo Timóteo Timoteo
Vangel Vangélis - Vangélis Vangeli - -
Victor Victor Viktor Víktoras Vittorio Vítor Víctor
Walter Gautier Walther - Gualtiero Gualtério Gualterio
William Guillaume Wilhelm Gouliélmos Guglielmo Guilherme Guillermo
Zachary Zacharie Sacharja Zacharías Zaccaria Zacarias Zacarías
Translations of female English given names
English French German Greek Hungarian Italian Portuguese Spanish
Alexandra Alexandra Alexandra Alexándra Alexandra Alessandra Alexandra Alejandra
Alice Alice Alice Alíki Alice Alice Alice Alicia
Amy Aimée - Amánta Amánta Amata Amada Amada
Agnes Agnès Agnes Agní Ágnes Agnese Inês Inés
Anastasia Anastasie - Anastasía - Anastasia Anastácia Anastásia
Angela Angèle Angela Ángela Angéla Ángela Ângela Ángela
Angelica Angélique Angelika - Angyalka Angelica Angélica Angélica
Angie Angélique Angelika Angelikí - Ángela Ângela Ángela
Ann Anne Anna Ánna Anna Anna Ana Ana
Annabel Annabelle - - - - Anabela Anabel
Antonia Antoinette - Antonía - Antonella Antônia -
Barbara Barbe Barbara Varvára Borbála Barbara Bárbara Bárbara
Basel Bâle Basel Vasileía Bázel Basilea Basilia Basilia
Catherine Catherine Katarina Ekateríni Katalin Caterina Catarina Catalina
Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte - Sarolta Carlotta Carlota Carlota
Christine Christine Christina Christína Krisztina Cristina Cristina Cristina
Daniella Danielle Daniela Daniéla - Daniela Daniela Daniela
Dorothy Dorothée Dorothea Dorothéa Dorottya Dorotea Doroteia Dorotea
Eleanor Éléonore Eleonora Eleonóra Eleonóra Eleonora Leonor Leonor
Elizabeth Élisabeth Elisabeth Elisávet Erzsébet Elisabetta Elisabete/Isabel Elisabet/Isabella
Eugenia Eugénie - Eugenía - Eugenia Eugêniα Eugenia
Emmanuella Emmanuelle - Emmanouilía - Emanuela Manoela Manuela
Emerald Émeraude Smaragd Smarágda - Esmeralda Esmeralda Esmeralda
Evangelie Évangéline Evangelina Evangelía - Evangelina - Evangelina
Eva Éva Eva Éva Éva Eva Eva Eva
Eve Éve Eve Évi / Paraskeví Éve Eve Eve Eve
Felicity Félicité Felicitas - Felicitás Felicita Felicidade Felicidad
Frances Françoise Franziska Frangiska Franciska Francesca Francisca Francisca
Frederica Frédérique Friederica Frideríki - Federica Frederica Federica
Gabriela Gabrielle Gabriela Gavriéla - Gabriela Gabriela Gabriela
Helen Hélène Helena Eléni Ilona Elena Helena Elena
Joanna Jeanne Johanna Ioánna - Giovanna Joana Juana
Josepha Josèphe Josepha - Jozefa Giuseppa Josefa Josefa
Josephine Joséphine Josephine Iosifína Jozefina Giuseppina Josefina Josefina
Louise Louise Louisa Louíza Lujza Luisa Luísa Luisa
Lucy Lucie Lucia Loukía Luca Lucia Lúcia Lucía
Magdalene Madeleine Magdalena Magdaliní Magdaléna Maddalena Madalena Magdalena
Margaret Marguerite Margareta Margaríta Margaréta Margherita Margarida Margarita
Mariana Marianne - Mariánna - Mariana Mariana Mariana
Marina Marine Marina Marína - Marina Marina Marina
Martha Marthe Marthe Mártha Márta Marta Marta Marta
Marianthi Marianthe Marianthe Mariánthi - Marianti Marianthi Marianthi
Mary Marie Maria María Mária Maria Maria María
Nicole Nicole - Nikolétta Nikolett Nicoletta - Nicolasa
Paula Paule Paula Polína Paula Paοla Paula Paula
Paulina Pauline Paulina Pavlína Paulina Paolina Paulina Paulina
Penelope Pénélope Penelope Pinelópi Pénelopé Penelope Penélope Penélope
Queen Reine Königin Vasílissa - Regina Rainha Reina
Raphaela Raphaëlle Raffaela Rafailía - Raffaella Rafaela Rafaela
Rebecca Rebecca Rebekka Revékka - Rebecca Rebeca Rebeca
Simoni Simone - Simóni - Simone - -
Sophia Sophie Sophia Sofía Zsófia Sofia Sofia Sofía
Sunday - - Kyriakí - Domenica Diominga Dominga
Susan Suzanne Susanne Souzána Zsuzsanna Susanna Susana Susana
Sylvia Sylvie Sylvia Sýlvia Szilvia Silvia Sílvia Silvia
Theresa Thérèse Theresa - Terézia Teresa Teresa Teresa
Valerie Valérie - Valéria - Valeria Valeria Valeria
Vicky Basilique Basilika Vasilikí Bazilika Basilica Basílica Basílica
Victoria Victoire Viktoria Viktoría Victoria Vittoria Vitória Victoria
Vicko Victoire Viktoria Viktoría Victoria Vittoria Vitória Victoria
Violet Violette - Violétta - Violetta Violeta Violeta

Surnames

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^ "English Names". www.behindthename.com.
  2. ^ Douglas A. Galbi. Long-Term Trends in Personal Given Name Frequencies in the UK, 2002 [1]
  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.
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