by baby&family5 letters · From the blog
Belle
This is the French word for "the beautiful one." Today, the name is often given as an independent first name, but historically it is documented as a short form of Isabelle.
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The story behind the name.
Explore 2,780 first names with short explanations from our blog. Search for a favorite or browse from A to Z.
Names: 2,780 · Page 6 of 58
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Ben
This name is documented as a short form of Benjamin (Hebrew for "son of the right hand" or "son of the south") or Benedict (Latin for "the blessed one"). Today, it stands entirely on its own in the German-speaking world.
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Bence
The Hungarian form, historically documented as a variant of Benedikt or Vinzenz.
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Benedict
Traces back to the Latin name Benedictus. The documented meaning is "the blessed one".
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Benedikt
Traces back to the Latin name Benedictus. The established linguistic meaning is "the blessed one."
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Benedikta
This is the confirmed feminine form of Benedikt, translating to "the blessed one".
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Benita
The Spanish feminine form of Benedict. Traces back to the Latin “benedictus,” which means “the blessed one.”
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Benjamin
A Hebrew name documented in the Old Testament. It is composed of the words for "son" and "right hand" or "south," literally meaning "son of the right hand" or "son of the south."
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Bennet
The English evolution of the name Benedikt. It shares with it the Latin meaning "the blessed one."
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Bennett
This name is the English form of Benedict. It traces back to the Latin word "benedicere", which is documented to mean "to bless"; the name thus stands for "the blessed one".
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Benno
This is an old German short form for names starting with the element "Bern-", such as Bernhard. The Old High German root means "bear".
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Beno
Documented as a Sorbian short form of Benedikt. The Latin linguistic root means "the blessed one."
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Bente
A Frisian and Dutch short form of Benedikta. Here, too, the Latin “benedictus” (blessed) serves as the documented meaning.
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Berenice
This first name has Ancient Greek and Macedonian roots and is documented as meaning "bringer of victory" (from "phérein" for to bring and "níkē" for victory). A more familiar derived form in German is Veronika. Berenice is usually pronounced with an audible "e" at the end in German.
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Berenike
An ancient Greek name with four syllables. It is composed of the words for "to bring" (pherein) and "victory" (nike), giving it the documented meaning "bringer of victory". Berenike is an older form from which the name Veronika later developed through sound shifts.
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Berit
This is a Scandinavian variant of Birgitta. The name traces back to the Celtic original name Brigit; the documented word base means "the exalted one".
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Bêrîtan
A common interpretation of this name is "the girl from the mountains" or "the alpine pasture." The name is closely tied to recent Kurdish history and a well-known historical figure. A definitive older etymological meaning is not conclusively confirmed.
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Berivan
This name traditionally describes a woman who milks sheep in the mountains (dairymaid). It is a classic example of names that originated from agricultural traditions.
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Bernadette
A French feminine form of Bernhard. The Germanic name elements mean “bear” and “hardy” or “brave.”
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Bernd
An independent short form of Bernhard. The Old High German components "bero" and "harti" mean "bear" and "hard" or "strong".
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Bernhard
Here, the Old High German words "bero" (bear) and "harti" (hard, strong, or brave) combine. The name's meaning is historically well-attested. Today, Bernd is often used as a practical everyday short form.
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Bero
An old Germanic short form of names with “Bern-”; the documented meaning is “bear”.
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Berrit
Berrit is documented as a North Frisian and Scandinavian form of Birgit. Its origin lies in the Celtic name Brigida, meaning "the exalted one."
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Berta
Berta, often also spelled Bertha, derives from the Old High German beraht. The underlying root means "bright" or "shining." Originally, Berta was a short form for names like Alberta or Roberta.
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Bertha
Its derivation from the Old High German "beraht", meaning "bright" or "shining", is well documented. Bertha was often originally a short form of names ending in "-bert" or "-berta". Today, the spelling Berta without an h is equally common.
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Beryl
An English first name originating from the Greek word "beryllos". This denotes the beryl gemstone, whose family also includes the emerald. In English, the name is accented on the first syllable.
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Bess
A traditional English short form of Elisabeth. The Hebrew root means "God is abundance" or "God is my oath."
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Bett
Bett is documented as a short form of Elisabeth. The Hebrew root word means "God is abundance" or "my God is an oath." While forms like Betti or Betty are more common in Germany, Bett illustrates the Luxembourgish affinity for minimalist names.
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Bettina
Bettina is documented as an Italian diminutive of Elisabeth. The Hebrew root elischeba means "God is my oath" or "God is abundance." In Germany, the name is usually spelled with a double t; Betina is a rarer variant.
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Bianca
The Italian form of the name Blanka. The root word means “white” or “shining.”
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Bibi
This name is a short form that can be associated with various longer names. A single blanket meaning would be too imprecise. In addition, the word means “lady” or “mistress” in Persian and Urdu.
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Bijan
A classic name from Persian literature. Bijan is a well-known hero in the epic Schāhnāme. The widespread interpretation of the name is "hero."
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Bilal
Bilal was a companion of the Prophet and the first muezzin of Islam. The meaning is often given as "moisture" or "refreshment." This translation is a linguistic interpretation of the Arabic root b-l-l.
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Billa
This short given name is documented in the Kamilaroi language, where it means "water" or "river." It also forms the lexical root for the term billabong, which is widely known in Australia and describes a waterhole or an oxbow lake.
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Billie
An English short form, usually of Wilhelmina. The Germanic roots of the original name stand for “will” and “helmet” (protection).
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Bindi
The frequently cited translation "butterfly" or "young girl" is an interpretation from the Noongar language. The name achieved international renown through Bindi Irwin, daughter of Australian documentary filmmaker Steve Irwin. The name is short, memorable, and pronounced just as it is spelled.
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Birgit
A Scandinavian form of Birgitta, which in turn traces back to the Celtic name Brighid. The documented meaning is “the exalted one.”
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Birk
A Scandinavian short form primarily tracing back to the name Burkhard.
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Bjarne
A Scandinavian name documented to trace back to the Old Norse word for "bear."
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Björk
A common girl's name in Iceland. It corresponds to the Icelandic word for birch. The name became internationally known primarily through the Icelandic musician of the same name.
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Bjørk
A name known throughout the Nordic region, also commonly used on the Faroe Islands in this spelling. The documented meaning is "birch".
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Björn
The Swedish and Icelandic form, which, like Bjarne, directly means the word for "bear."
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Bjørn
The Old Norse word for "bear". In Norway, the name is written with the special letter ø; in Germany, this is usually replaced by an ö (Björn).
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Blair
A name of Scottish origin that arose from a surname. It derives from the Scottish Gaelic word "blàr," which means "plain" or "field."
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Blanca
A name of Romance origin tracing back to the Germanic word “blank.” It means “white” or “bright.”
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Blanka
A name of Romance origin tracing back to the Germanic word “blank.” It means “white” or “bright.”
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Blue
The English word for the color blue. Celebrities often use it as a first or middle name. In German, there is no direct equivalent used as a given name.
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Bo
A Nordic first name that traces back to the Old Norse word “búa” (to live or dwell).
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