Tudor

Meaning: (God’s Gift, Gracious Gift, Welsh form of the Old Celtic name Teutorigos, meaning “Ruler of the People” (cognate with Theodoric). As a surname it was borne by five monarchs of England beginning with Henry VII in the 15^th Century.)

Origin: (Welsh, Celtic, Greek)

Pronunciation: (ˈtü-dər, tyü-dər, go to this link and run your cursor over the name to hear how it is pronounced: http://howjsay.com/pronunciation-of-tudor )

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

Again this is not a name I would have thought of as a given name but the other day I was looking around and some professor on C-Span had the given name Tudor and I was like what I’ve never seen that before. The meanings are very beautiful and strong. Most people know of the monarchs in England with this surname so they should be familiar with the pronunciation though I still can’t see this as a given name for some reason. I did a report in my last year of high school many years ago on Tudor architecture which I found to be interesting, just thought I’d say that, lol.

Brychan

Meaning: (Speckled, Spotted, Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in South Wales. Celtic hagiography tells us that Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and his wife, Marchel, heiress of the Welsh kingdom of Garthmadrun (Brycheiniog), which the couple later inherited. Upon his father's death, he returned to Garthmadrun and changed its name to Brycheiniog. Brychan's name may be a Welsh version of the Irish name Broccán and that of his grandfather Coronac may represent Cormac. The Life of St. Cadoc by Lifris (c. 1100) portrays Brychan fighting Arthur, Cai and Bedivere because of King Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction of his daughter St. Gwladys from his court in Talgarth.

He is occasionally described as an undocumented saint but the traditional literature does not call him a saint, referring to him as a patriarch instead, and he has no churches named for him. A 15th-century stained glass window in the parish church at St Neot in Cornwall, supposedly depicts Brychan, seated and crowned, holding in his arms eleven children. This, however, has been described by a standard modern guide as "God with Souls in his lap". ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brychan} Brychan is a derivative of the English Bryce.

This is a locational surname. It can be English, Scottish or Welsh. It may originate from the village of Brecon in the former county of Breconshire or Brecknockshire, East Wales, or from the village of Bracken in Yorkshire, or the town of Brechin in Tayside, Scotland. The English and Welsh origins are probably the same from the Olde English pre 5th century word "braecan", which does mean bracken. The town in Scotland is from the Olde English word "breac", a break or new arable land, and the diminutive suffix "-in"; hence "A patch of new arable land". It is also possible that for some name holders the origin is from the Gaelic O 'Breacain, meaning "a male descendant of Breacan", a personal name translating as freckled or speckled! Early examples of the surname recordings include Magister Hugh de Breychin who witnessed a confirmation by Symon Loccard in Scotland in the year 1180, whilst in Swansea in the year 1292 and then written as Sweynssaye, we have the recording of Nicholas de Brachan. In the surviving registers of the county of Yorkshire we have the recording of Mary Brecken who married John Green on June 19th 1715 at Middleton by Pickering. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ysaac de Brechyn. This was dated 1178, during the reign of King William, known as "The Lion" of Scotland", 1165 - 1214. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was often known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Brychan)

Origin: (Welsh, Gaelic, Celtic, Scottish, English)

Pronunciation: (BRIYCH-aeN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

Here is another name I can’t quite remember where I saw it but I really like it and apparently I have added quite a few Welsh names this go around which is funny as my new friend Cameron *see on list of posts* is of Welsh background, lol! Anyway this name is very interesting and I like the spelling and the meanings a lot as I love the name Bryce *see on list of posts* which this is a derivative of. Brychan has a great long history of use and for that reason it would be amazing in really older medieval historical fiction novels!  

Balor

Meaning: (Sea Giant, (modern spelling: Balar) was king of named Fomorians, a group of supernatural beings. He is often described as a giant with a large eye in his forehead that wreaks destruction when opened. He has been interpreted as a god or personification of drought and blight. It is suggested that Balor comes from Common Celtic *Baleros, meaning "the Deadly One", cognate with Old Irish at-baill (Dies) and Welsh ball (Death, Plague).

He is also referred to as Balor Béimnech (Balor the smiter), Balor Balcbéimnech (Balor the strong smiter) and Balor Birugderc (Balor of the piercing eye). The latter has led to the English name Balor of the Evil Eye.)

Origin: (Celtic, Irish, Irish Mythology)

Pronunciation: (b'-lor, BAL-or)

Gender: Male

I was watching WWE wresting a few months ago and there is a wrestler with the ring name of Finn Balor and I really liked the look of the last name. When I learned about the meanings and origin it is quite a bit of a dark and destructive name but that might be what an author is looking for or maybe to name a character this whose personality is quite the opposite, who knows, so I decided to add this so that it may be able to be the perfect name for an author out there that has been looking for just the right name and hadn’t yet stumbled upon this one. It definitely has an interesting albeit disturbing history and mythology behind it.

Gwendola

Meaning: (Gwen: White, Fair, Pure, Holy, Blessed, White Circle, Moon, Happiness, It has been used as a name in its own right since the 5th century, when it was borne by a Welsh saint and a daughter of the legendary Welsh king Brychan. The name has strong Welsh associations, although it has been widely adopted by English speakers since the 20th century.

Dola: The Crown Brings Honor, Dola is an alternate form of Adeola (Nigerian), In Slavic mythology, Dola (pronounced doh-luh) are the protective spirits which embody human fate. They can appear in the guises of a god, a cat, a man, a mouse, or a woman. They have their own preferences and provinces; and they would hound you if you made choices that were not planned by Fate. Dola means "The Slavic spirit of mortal fate". The name penetrated common language and is often used to describe long-lasting change of fortune caused by external factors (or absolutely stochastic). It's comparable to good or bad luck, but unlike luck, dola applies to important aspects of life, such as career, health, marriage, having children etc.)

Origin: (Gwen: Old Welsh, Celtic Dola: Nigerian, Slavic Mythology)

Pronunciation: (Gwen: GWehN Dola: doh-luh Gwendola: GWehN-doh-luh)

Gender: Female

I was in a nursing home visiting two friends who are of the same religion that I am and when walking to their rooms I was looking at the tags of names on the outside of the doors and saw the name Gwendola and was like that’s interesting and I’ve never heard that one before. Well I couldn’t find the meaning for the name as a whole so I had to break it down and do a meaning for Gwen and then Dola separately.

Of course I’ve done Gwen in other names before and always thought the meanings were gorgeous and I love Welsh names so that a plus with me. And since it has a long history of use where on its own or with another name it would do well in so many eras. Dola had some really pretty meanings like the Crown Brings Honor. The Slavic Mythology was very interesting indeed! Together the name Gwendola embodies a few different interesting cultures but it creates a beautiful name and I wonder how the parents of the woman in that room at the nursing home came to name her Gwendola.

Merric / Merrick

Meaning: (Ruler of the Sea, Strong Ruler, Fame Rule, Armored Ruler, Mill Worker, Chieftain, Handmaiden, Slender, Delicate)

Origin: (Irish, Celtic, Gaelic, Welsh, Old English)

Pronunciation: (MEH-RihK, MEHR-ik)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching one of those shows on Investigate Discovery channel and one of the ladies talking was talking about her serial killer father. One of her sister’s names was Merric. Though I didn’t watch that whole show I did like the name of her sister, though what their father did was appalling.  

Merric or Merrick is great names with really great strong meanings. It does seem very Irish to me and I love that but is easily pronounced which I love as well. Merric O’ Conor seems a good name and so pairing this first name with an Irish last name you can see more of it being Irish as well. This also seems a name that could have fit in Arthurian Legend or in a High Fantasy sword wielding novel. Merric seems feminine to me and Merrick seems masculine to me. All in all I really love this name and I would love to see it used more often.

Madigan

Meaning: (Little Dog, Son of the Hound, High Tower, This is a famous Irish clan surname recorded as Madden, Madigan, and MacAvaddy. It derives from the pre 10th century Olde Gaelic O'Madain, translating as 'The descendant of the son of the hound'. Most Irish surnames originate from a chief's nickname, O'Kennedy, for instance means 'The descendant of the ugly headed one!' The O'Madain's originated from lands on the River Shannon in County Galway, at one time holding over 25,000 acres. Even today nameholders are still numerous in that part of Ireland. The Madigan branch of the clan are regarded as almost exclusively a Clare-Limerick family, although a branch are to be found in Counties Antrim and Derry in Ulster. Early surname holders included the Rev. Samuel Madden (1680 - 1760), a famed philanthropist, whilst Richard Madden, (1798 - 1886) was the author of the book 'The United Irishman'. During the infamous 'Potato Famine' of 1846, many name holders emigrated to both England and America. Amongst these were Walter Madden and his wife Mary, and their children Richard aged five and Alice, a baby. They sailed from Galway, bound for New York on the ship 'Junius ' on May 1st 1846. Another recording is that of Hannah Madigan aged twenty two, who left Belfast on the ship 'Howard' for New York, on July 23rd 1846. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Dermot O'Madadhain, which was dated circa 1100. He was chief of the Ui Maine, Connacht, during the reign of King Henry Ist of England, known as 'The Just", 1100 - 1135. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.1135.)

Origin: (Irish, Celtic, Greek)

Pronunciation: (MA-di-gehn, MAEDihGAHN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I’ve posted about Madden *see on list of posts* before and Madigan can come from that but is its own name as well so I decided to add it as such. The meanings are decent and the name is pretty cool looking to me. It seems a name that could replace much more common Irish names like Mackenzie Kenzie / Kinzie *see on list of posts*. It’s a great older name as well so it could potentially fit in different eras but maybe not as much as a first name as more of a last name if used in the past but more of a first name use in the current era and future. A cute nickname though could be Mad which could be an ironic play on a crazy acting character. If you want a much more normal nickname then Maddie / Maddy or Adi / Addi / Addie could work.

Donovan

Meaning: (Brown-Haired Chieftain, Dark Brown, Strong Warrior, 'Descendant of Donndubhán, Descendant of the Dark Brown One'. The first name is derived from the Irish surname Ó Donnabhain meaning 'Descendant of Donndubhán'; Donndubhán is a given name from the Gaelic Donn and Dubh (meaning 'Dark, Black') and it could have originally been bestowed on someone with dark brown hair, eyes, or complexion. The name Donovan was first adopted by English speakers in the early 20th century. In modern times, it has largely lost its Irish associations, and the fame of the Scottish-born pop singer Donovan (1946-) has boosted its adoption since the 1960s.)

Origin: (Irish, Celtic, Gaelic)

Pronunciation: (DAHN-ə-vin, DAAN-aa-VahN)

Gender: Male

I was watching a contemporary Pride and Prejudice on Hallmark Channel which was called Unleashing Mr. Darcy and they gave the name Donovan as Mr. Darcy’s first name. Unleashing Mr. Darcy is also a novel. A few years back a friend of my sisters named her son Donovan which my sister loved and I kind of liked at the time. I think back then I didn’t really love it as I kind of saw it as a last name rather than a first name. I kind of like it a bit more now and the meanings are great. It’s a name that’s been around a while but isn’t over used. It’s easily pronounced which is great and there are great nickname options so all in a great name for a character. As someone pointed out and I agree this name would go well as a sibling name with other names such as Garrison *see on list of posts* and Flannigan *see on list of posts in June 2016*. It does have a sophisticated wealthy look about it but also I think could work on a street-wise Casanova, lol! So very versatile!

Leith

Meaning: (River, Harbor, Water, Wet, Damp, Broad River, Lion, This intriguing name is of medieval Scottish origin and is locational from the coastal town of Leith near Edinburgh, which takes its name from the river at whose mouth it stands, and is derived from the Gaelic 'lite' meaning wet, and is comparable to the Welsh 'llaith', damp or moist. There are reported to be three fables as to the origin of the Leiths, the first being that they held the barony of Restalrig, secondly, that they were burgesses of Edinburgh, who gave their name to Leith Wynd, and thirdly, that the founder of the family of Leith of Harthill, in the parish of Oyne, was William de Lethe, burgess of Aberdeen. The following examples illustrate the name development after 1342; Laurence de Leth (1388), Robert de Leithe (1406), Leithe (1641), James Leith married Christian Watson on December 27th 1670 at Canongate, Midlothian. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gilbert of Leth, which was dated 1327, Edinburgh, Scotland, during the reign of King Robert 1, 'The Bruce', 1306-1329. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Leith )

Origin: (Scottish, Celtic, Gaelic, English (Rare), Arabic)

Pronunciation: (Liy-TH)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I saw this name on a fellow bloggers blog, Apolla13. I think this is a really cool name. It reminds me of the name Leif though the meanings and origins are far different; I knew a guy in High School named Leif. I really love the meanings and for anyone looking for a water meaning name then look no further for this name is chockfull of water meanings. It has an interesting history and is even a town and river in Scotland. It seems a nice old name with many different variants.

To me I think this would work best in a Fantasy or Sci-Fi novel as it has that historical look but with an elfish or time travelers kind of look which is odd for me to see but I do see it. Not to say this couldn’t work in the modern era or even a Historical Fiction novel. Also would look good in a romance novel as this is an attractive name, I can see a gorgeous club owner in circa 1920’s New Orleans being named this, lol, very specific there!

Keena

Meaning: (Brave, a Knot, Ancient One, Little Ancient One)

Origin: (Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, Hindi, English)

Pronunciation: (KIY-Naa, KEE-na)

Gender: Uni-Sex

My list is backed up for a while so I am finally getting to these names. Back during NaNoWriMo 2015 I had posted about it and a fellow blogger Apolla 13 commented about her experience with it and then told me a bit about the story she chose to write about. So for all of my posts for March I will be doing some of the names of her characters for the story she wrote for NaNoWriMo 2015 as I really like many of these names and have yet to add them so I am adding them now.

The meanings are great and the name itself has a very Mans Origin Mythology like look. So maybe this could be used by an author in their story if they add a history or origin story. It has a very old look and I often see an old man, a very father time look, wise and guide like. But also on the flipside sometimes it looks youthful like I can see a very lithe girl running around mischievous and care free. So it is a nice name that can bring about a different thought and feel for different people. So it’s up to the writer as to what kind of character and feeling they want to associate with this name.  

One funny thing though with me is when I say this name I think Quinoa and I have no clue why, lol! It doesn’t look the same obviously but when said I can kind of see going from Keena: KEE-na to Quinoa: KEEN-wah. But perhaps I am just weird that way, lol! Or maybe KEE-na and KEEN-wah are just fun to say, lol!

Drusa

Meaning:  (Feminine form of Drusus: Roman family name, also sometimes used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Claudius family. Apparently the name was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat. Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning "Strong".)

Origin: (Ancient Roman, Celtic, Gaelic, Latin, Old Greek)

Pronunciation: (droos-uh, DRUW-Sah)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

My list is backed up for a while so I am finally getting to these names. Back during NaNoWriMo 2015 I had posted about it and a fellow blogger Apolla 13 commented about her experience with it and then told me a bit about the story she chose to write about. So for all of my posts for March I will be doing some of the names of her characters for the story she wrote for NaNoWriMo 2015 as I really like many of these names and have yet to add them so I am adding them now.

Drusa is a very interesting name but makes me think Druid a bit when I see it so I think magic and so not thrilled by that but Drusa has nothing to do with Druid I just see that when I see Drusa. The meaning and long history of use and the reason for the name is very interesting and the name does seem as the meaning says Strong.

I can see an Empress or a baddy character being named this. It has a superior air to it which is interesting and likable in a very hoard power over you kind of way. Of course that is my thoughts on the look of the name. It could be used in many different genres and for different types of characters but the air I get from the name is very dangerous and lethal, lol! But I love that as I am always looking for bad like female character names!

Genevra

Meaning: (Fair, white wave, Smooth, Yielding, Juniper Tree, Lady of the People, Tribal Woman, Of the Race of Women, River Mouth, Variant of Ginevra, Italian form of Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word ginepro meaning “Juniper”.)

Origin: (Italian, Old French, Old Welsh, Germanic, Celtic, English)

Pronunciation: (jee-NEV-rah, jeh-NEHV-rə, Z-eh-NEY-VRah)

Gender: Female

This is the name of an outfit on I think Pearson Renaissance Shoppe website. The spelling throws me off because I prefer Geneva *see on list of posts*, which I’ve used in a novel before. I think this was the full name of Ron Weasley’s sister Ginny in the Harry Potter Novels. The meanings are beautiful and I see it is an Italian form of Guinevere and if it came down to it I would choose Guinevere over Genevra as the spelling as I said throws me off.

It is a beautiful name but I am not totally sold on it as one of my characters names but I started this blog to help other authors and this might be a perfect name for one of their characters names.

Catalonia

Meaning: (The name Catalunya (Catalonia)—spelled Cathalonia, or Cathalaunia, in Mediaeval Latin—began to be used for the homeland of the Catalans (Cathalanenses) in the late 11th century and was probably used before as a territorial reference to the group of counties that comprised part of the March of Gothia and March of Hispania under the control of the Count of Barcelona and his relatives. The origin of the name Catalunya is subject to diverse interpretations because of a lack of evidence.

One theory suggests that Catalunya derives from the name Gothia (or Gauthia) Launia ("Land of the Goths"), since the origins of the Catalan counts, lords and people were found in the March of Gothia, known as Gothia, whence Gothland > Gothlandia > Gothalania > Cathalaunia > Catalonia theoretically derived. During the Middle Ages, Byzantine chroniclers claimed that Catalania derives from the local medley of Goths with Alans, initially constituting a Goth-Alania.

Other less plausible theories suggest:

• Catalunya derives from the term "land of castles", having evolved from the term castlà or castlan, the medieval term for the ruler of a castle. This theory therefore suggests that the names Catalunya and Castile have a common root.
• The source is of Celtic origin, meaning "chiefs of battle". Although the area is not known to have been occupied by Celts, a Celtic culture was present within the interior of Iberia in pre-Roman times.
• The Lacetani, an Iberian tribe that lived in the area and whose name, due to the Roman influence, could have evolved by metathesis to Katelans and then Catalans.

In English, Catalonia is pronounced /kætəˈloʊniə/. The native name, Catalunya, is pronounced [kətəˈluɲə] in Central Catalan, the most widely spoken variety whose pronunciation is considered standard. The Spanish name is Cataluña ([kataˈluɲa]), and the Aranese name is Catalonha ([kataˈluɲɔ] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalonia).

Origin: (Medieval Latin, Celtic, English, Gothic, Catalan)

Pronunciation: (Cat-uh-loh-nya, cat-uh-lune-ya, if you want to hear how Catalonia is pronounced then go to this site and run your cursor over the word to hear how it is said: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=catalonia )

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I think I was looking up Catriona *see on list of posts* and somehow I stumbled upon Catalonia. Catriona, Catalonia, and Catalina *see on list of posts* all seem to look alike to me and I would love to use, though I’ve already used Catalina before. Catalonia is unique looking and has an interesting history and possible meanings.

I love to say it like cat-uh-lune-ya, its addicting saying it like that, lol! I love the way my tongue rolls when I say it that way, lol! If I were to pronounce it that way then Catalunya would be the best spelling for it.

I see an exotic beautiful woman being named this. It would fit well in a historical fiction novel but would also look nice in a fantasy novel. It has an easy pronunciation and is easily recognized. I love this name a lot.

Arawn

Meaning: (This was the name of the God of the Underworld, Terror, Revenge, and War, called Annwfn, in Welsh Mythology.)

Origin: (Celtic, Welsh Mythology)

Pronunciation: (AR-own, AR-awn, if you want to know how to pronounce Arawn then go to this site and run your cursor over the word to hear how it is pronounced: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Arawn )

Gender: Male

Some novel I read up the information for had a semi-bad character named this. I can’t remember the novel title as the info for the novel wasn’t my cup of tea but I was intrigued by the name. This name I have used for the bad character in my newest novella only because it does have a very bad flair to it which is only accentuated by the meaning. It looks a bit like Aaron but with a fantasy / sci-fi flair. Its all around look is interesting and seems easy enough to pronounce.  

Bridie

Meaning: (Exalted One, The High One, Strength, Diminutive of Bridget, In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.)

Origin: (Irish, Gaelic, Celtic)

Pronunciation: (BRY-dee, BRIYDiy)

Gender: Female

I forget where I saw this but I really do like it. I like Irish names and so this is another I really like. It has beautiful strong meanings and a unique look, well to anyone from America. I can see a fiery spirited maiden being named this or spunky girl in the modern era.

Tris

Meaning: (Derived from the Latin Beatrix “She Who Makes Happy, She Who Brings Happiness”, which is from Beatus “Happy, Blessed”. Traveler, Pilgrim, Bringer of Joy, Noble, Patrician. Sad din, in a story from the Middle Ages, Tristan, nephew of King Mark of Cornwall, was in love with the Princess Iseult of Ireland. Short form of names like Tricia, Patricia, Beatrice/Beatrix, and Tristan.)

Origin: (Celtic, Latin, English)

Pronunciation: (TRIHS, TRIH-ss)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching the movie Divergent (also a book) and the main female character is named Beatrice but later goes by the nickname Tris. I really like this name / nickname and the meanings a lot. I have used the name Beatrice *see on list of posts* before and had that characters sister Eden *see on list of posts*call her Tris and her twin brother Curran calls her Bea. I love that this can be a form of Patricia, Tricia and Tristan *see on list of posts*, I have never seen it as a form of those names before but I can see it now and I love it a lot. I would love to have a character named Tristan with the nickname Tris, which would be cute.

Tris is so light and airy and cute. I would love to see it used a bit more often but not too much as it could I fear become a tired name / nickname.

Mal

Meaning: (Bad, Wrongful, Ill, Chief, Messenger of God, Bold Friend, Brave Friend, Disciple of Saint Columba.)

Origin: (Welsh, Irish, English, Hebrew, Celtic, Germanic, Old French)

Pronunciation: (MAEL, MAHL)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching the Disney Movie Descendents a few weeks ago, which I really liked, and one of the main girls mom was villain Maleficent and this main girls name was Mal. I really like the simple name and would be great as a stand alone name or as a nickname. Most of the meanings I like, I can see from the movie where the Bad, Wrongful, and Ill meaning comes in but for a character or person the meaning may not be great but the other meanings are lovely and beautiful.

Aeronwy

Meaning: (Battle, End of Battle, Berry, Berry Stream, Fruit, Combination of Aeron “Berry” and the suffix wy meaning River, River of Slaughter.)

Origin: (Welsh, Celtic)

Pronunciation: (ey-R-aaNWiy, AIR-uhn-wee, eye-RON-wee, eye-ROAN-wee, ay-ROAN-wee)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was looking for beautiful Welsh names and I stumbled upon this one. The meanings are great and nature based and pretty. This name is so similar in some aspects to other welsh names and so looks unique and rare to English speakers. I like that it looks fantasy / sci-fi space like name, at least I always see Welsh names as out of this world names.

Calla

Meaning: (The Most Beautiful, Lark, Church, Monastery, From the name of a type of lily. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek καλλος (kallos) meaning "Beauty". Also possibly a variant of Caoilainn an Irish Gaelic name meaning "Slim and Fair", or from Kelila meaning "Crown of Laurel" or a short form of Michaela.)

Origin: (Greek, English, Celtic, Irish Gaelic)

Pronunciation: (CAL-lah, KAL-ə, KA-lə, KAELLaa)

Gender: Female

I love the meanings of this name and the short nature of it I like a lot as well. A lot will think of Calla Lily when they see this and that is great as most everyone knows how to pronounce Calla Lilly so they will know how to say Calla minus the Lily part, unless of course your character is named Calla Lily.

I see a very strong determined character that’s bold and brave when tested. But on the other hand I see a character that is at first not exactly the strongest but grows to be the strongest and boldest and bravest character. Then again I see as well a mischievous trouble maker like character. So as you see this name is diverse in a way and is simple, short and very pretty.

 

 

 

 

Moya

Meaning: (Bitter, Sea of Bitterness, Rebelliousness, Wished for Child, To Swell, Exceptional, Variant of Maia (Greek) Great, Mother, Also English form of Moira and Mary.)

Origin: (Irish, Celtic, Norwegian, Spanish, Hebrew, Egyptian)

Pronunciation: (MOYah)

Gender: Female

A few months ago I was watching re-runs of the sci-fi TV show Farscape. The living ship the crew resided on was called Moya. I love that show and I also love many of the names on the show. I have already added Aeryn *see on list of posts* and Chiana *see on list of posts*. Aeryn also is on my Favorite Female Name List.

The meanings are generally good and I like the variants so you can switch either of these names for the variants if you wish. Moya seems to me a name I could see on a Pacifica Islander or something. Since it was in a sci-fi / fantasy TV show it could of course fit right back in a sci-fi / fantasy novel setting.

Kili

Meaning: (From the Narrow Land, Narrow, Slender, variant of the name Kyle. Comes from “KILI’ KAHA’E’LAH,” name of the great underwater volcano deep in the Pacific. Birth to him was two sons, KI’LAWAIA, and KILI…. Kili, the smaller brother but with equal powers as the big brother, yet in human form (as a mortal man) meaning; Lover, Warrior, Leader, Hunter of the Bullie Hearted. Is said he will search forever and a day for his virtuous Queen from the Islands where he will return to live among the mortals and raise a family with his Queen. This is sacred scrips, (ancient diolg).)

Origin: (Celtic, Polynesian Mythology, Fictional, Literature)

Pronunciation: (Key-lee, KEE-LEE, Keel-ee, Kill-ee)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I first saw this in the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. One of the Dwarves in Thorin Oakenshields Company is one of Thorin’s nephews Kili. I came to really love this name. Since it is a real name not one made up primarily by J.R.R Tolkien it can be used by other writers. I have decided to name a future character this. I think the name though short has a nice strong look to it. I like the meanings and the mythology is wonderful and very cool, I love myths like that. I think it looks like a handsome name not seen or heard often.