English Baby Names
Explore 2515 english names, each with its own meaning, history, and pronunciation. Find one that carries the stories you want your child to grow up with.
English names form the largest body of names in our index. They run from Old English roots (Edward, Alfred, Mildred) through Norman-French imports (Richard, William, Rose), biblical names anglicised through centuries of use (James, Mary, John), and a growing modern lineage of place-and-nature names (Willow, Brooke, Hudson).
A short history
The English naming tradition is famously layered. Old English names (Edwin, Edith, Alfred) survived the Norman Conquest in smaller numbers and returned in the Victorian revival. Norman names (William, Henry, Richard) became the aristocratic backbone after 1066. Biblical names were anglicised and spread widely through Reformation-era England. Puritan virtue names (Patience, Hope, Grace) added a distinct 17th-century layer.
Naming traditions
Middle names became common in England from the 18th century onwards, often preserving a mother's maiden name or honouring a godparent. Double middle names are now standard. Sibling sets in England tend towards soft internal matching rather than thematic locking (e.g. George and Charlotte rather than Grace and Hope).
Sound and style
English names span every syllable count, every sound pattern, and every register. The current mood favours short classics (Jack, Max, Leo, Ava) and nature-led picks (Willow, Hazel, Rowan). English is also the most 'sibling-set friendly' naming tradition because its breadth accommodates almost any pairing.
Penley
“Woodland clearing near an enclosure”
Penley is a village in Wales near the English border, and its surname form has occasionally been used as a given name in English-speaking families. The name has a gentle, lyrical quality owing to its soft sounds and nature-connected meaning. It sits comfortably alongside other English place-name surnames repurposed as given names.
Penn
“Enclosure or hilltop dweller”
Penn is a crisp, single-syllable name with deep English roots, historically associated with the Penn family of Pennsylvania fame. It carries a quiet strength and understated elegance that has made it appealing as both a surname and a given name. Its brevity gives it a modern, confident feel while retaining strong historical ties.
Pennant
“Headland or hilltop promontory”
Pennant is a rare and distinctive given name with deep Welsh-English roots, historically used as a surname in Wales. It evokes imagery of victory banners and championship flags, lending it a bold, triumphant character. Though unusual as a first name, it has a strong, memorable quality that sets it apart.
Penney
“Distinctive spelling of Penny, weaver or coin”
Penney is a warm, approachable name that carries the cheerful charm of Penny while offering a slightly more distinctive spelling. It has been used as both a given name and surname in English-speaking countries, lending it a familiar yet individualistic feel. The name suits a friendly, grounded personality.
Penny
“Weaver, or the smallest coin”
Penny is a bright, cheerful name that surged in popularity during the mid-20th century and has retained a timeless, down-to-earth appeal. It is associated with warmth, practicality, and a no-nonsense friendliness that resonates across generations. The name appears widely in popular culture, cementing its place as a beloved English classic.
Pennyroyal
“Aromatic royal herb of the mint family”
Pennyroyal is an extraordinarily rare given name drawn from the aromatic herb of the mint family, known for its strong scent and long history in folk medicine. As a name it carries a distinctly botanical, unconventional character, earthy, fragrant, and deeply rooted in the natural world. It suits parents drawn to nature names with historical depth.
Penrhyn
“Headland or coastal promontory”
Penrhyn is a stately, place-derived name with strong Welsh-English aristocratic associations, most notably connected to Penrhyn Castle in Gwynedd, Wales. Its melodic, multi-syllable form gives it a dignified, almost noble character unusual among English given names. It remains rare as a personal name, making it a bold and geographically distinctive choice.
Penrose
“Top of the heath or heathland headland”
Penrose is a Cornish place name used as a given name. It derives from the Cornish words pen meaning head or top and ros meaning heath, promontory, or spur of land. The name therefore means the top of the heath or headland above the moorland. There are several places called Penrose in Cornwall, and the name has a long history as a Cornish surname. As a given name it is exceptionally rare, but it carries an intellectual and aristocratic quality that has attracted a small number of adventurous parents.
Peony
“Flower of healing and good fortune”
Peony is a lush, romantic floral name that has been used in English-speaking countries as a given name since the Victorian era, when flower names enjoyed great popularity. The peony itself is one of the most opulent of garden flowers, symbolising good fortune, honour, and compassion in both Western and Eastern traditions. As a name it projects a gentle, refined beauty.
Pepper
“Bold and spicy in character”
Pepper is a vivacious, modern given name drawn from the beloved spice, used for both boys and girls in English-speaking countries. It carries a playful, energetic character, zesty, warm, and a little fiery, making it a popular choice among parents seeking an upbeat nature-inspired name. Its rise in usage mirrors the broader trend of spice and food names entering the given-name lexicon.
Perceval
“Pierce the valley; Grail knight of French Arthurian romance”
Perceval is a name of debated etymology, first appearing in Chretien de Troyes's late twelfth-century Arthurian romance. The most appealing folk etymology interprets it as a compound of the Old French percer, to pierce, and val, valley, giving pierce the valley, a name suggestive of bold adventure. Some scholars alternatively propose a Celtic origin, perhaps from Welsh Peredur, meaning hard spears.
Percival
“Pierce the vale”
Percival is an Arthurian name traditionally interpreted as 'pierce the vale,' suggesting one who breaks through into hidden or sacred territory. It carries connotations of questing, discovery, and noble purpose.
Percy
“Pierce the valley”
Percy derives from the Norman French surname Percy, which referred to a place in Normandy. The place name is thought to come from a Gaulish personal name combined with a suffix denoting an estate. As a given name it became strongly associated with the aristocratic Percy family of Northumberland, one of England's most powerful medieval dynasties. It has recently undergone a fashionable revival as a vintage boys name with charm and spirit.
Perdita
“Lost”
Perdita is a Latin-derived name meaning lost or the lost one, coined by William Shakespeare for the heroine of The Winter's Tale, written around 1610. In the play, Perdita is a princess abandoned as a baby and raised by a shepherd, only to be found and restored to her rightful place. Despite its melancholy literal meaning, the name carries a romantic and literary quality, associated with innocence, resilience, and ultimate redemption. It has been beloved by parents with a taste for the unusual and the Shakespearean ever since.
Peregrin
“Wandering pilgrim or traveller”
Peregrin is an old English given name rooted in the Latin word for pilgrim or wanderer. It evokes the image of someone on a spiritual or physical journey, and carries a noble, literary quality. The name is rare today, which gives it a distinctive and timeless appeal.
Peregrina
“Female pilgrim or wanderer”
Peregrina is an elegant and uncommon name with deep Latin roots, used across English and Romance language traditions. It carries a sense of wandering grace and spiritual depth, historically associated with pilgrimage and discovery. The name remains a rare and sophisticated choice with a rich etymological heritage.
Peregrine
“Traveller, pilgrim”
Peregrine derives from the Latin 'peregrinus', meaning foreign, one who comes from abroad, or more poetically, a traveller or pilgrim. In the medieval Christian tradition, the pilgrim was an important spiritual figure, and the name carried connotations of spiritual journey and devotion. In England, Peregrine became established as a given name among the aristocracy, acquiring an air of dashing eccentricity and upper-class confidence. The Peregrine falcon takes its name from the same Latin root, as it was believed to be caught in the wild while already in passage rather than taken from the nest. This connection to one of nature's most spectacular birds adds another dimension to the name's appeal. Today, Peregrine is rare but perfectly at home among English parents who favour long, literary names with strong historical character.
Periwinkle
“Blue-purple flower or sea snail”
Periwinkle is a fanciful and rare given name drawn from the English word for both a flowering vine and a small coastal mollusc. The name has a gentle, artistic quality associated with its distinctive blue-lavender hue, making it appealing to parents who favour botanical and colour names. It sits firmly in the tradition of Victorian and Edwardian nature names, though it remains highly unusual as a personal name.
Perla
“Precious pearl of rare beauty”
Perla is a melodic given name used across English, Spanish, and Italian traditions, all deriving from the word for pearl. It carries the same gentle elegance as Pearl but with a softer, more lyrical sound. The name has been consistently used in English-speaking countries and is especially popular in communities with Latin American heritage.
Perrin
“Rock-solid and steadfast”
Perrin originated as a medieval French and English pet form of Peter and gradually became established as both a surname and a given name. It has a crisp, modern feel while retaining historical depth, making it attractive as a contemporary first name. The name gained additional cultural visibility through fantasy literature in the late 20th century.
Perry
“Pear tree”
Perry is an English occupational and locational surname turned given name, referring to someone who lived by or tended a pear tree. It also functions as a familiar short form of Peregrine, the Latin name meaning pilgrim or traveller. The name has a cheerful, approachable quality that sits comfortably in both classic and contemporary settings. Its brevity gives it a punchy, confident feel without losing warmth.
Perryn
“Stone-strong and enduring”
Perryn is a contemporary English spelling variation of the traditional name Perrin, combining historical roots with a modern aesthetic. The 'y' spelling lends the name a softer, more gender-neutral appearance that appeals to parents seeking names that work across the gender spectrum. It retains the same strong etymological meaning as its variant while feeling fresh and current.
Persia
“Land of ancient empire and splendour”
Persia is a place-inspired English given name that draws on the grandeur and mystique of the ancient Persian Empire. Like other geographic names adopted as first names, it carries an air of worldliness and historical romance. The name has been used sporadically in English-speaking countries since at least the 19th century and appeals to parents drawn to bold, evocative names with global resonance.
Petal
“Delicate flower petal”
Petal is a charming and tender English given name that draws directly from the natural world. It is most commonly used as a term of endearment in British English before its gradual adoption as a proper given name. The name suits the modern trend towards botanical and nature-inspired names and carries an inherently gentle, affectionate quality.
Petar
“Firm as a rock”
Petar is the South Slavic form of Peter, derived from the Greek 'Petros', which in turn translates the Aramaic 'Kephas', meaning rock or stone. The name was given by Jesus to his apostle Simon, making it one of the most historically significant names in Christianity. In its Petar form, it is particularly associated with Croatian, Serbian and Bulgarian traditions, where it has been among the most beloved masculine names for centuries.
Petersfield
“Peter's open field or land”
Petersfield is an exceptionally rare English given name derived from the market town of Petersfield in Hampshire, England, whose name dates back to the medieval period. Like other English place names adopted as given names, such as Chester, Bradford, or Clifton, it carries a strong sense of English heritage and geographic identity. Its use as a first name is highly unusual, giving any bearer a truly one-of-a-kind name with deep roots in the English landscape.
Peterson
“Son of Peter, stone heritage”
Peterson originated as an English and Scandinavian surname denoting descent from a man named Peter. Its adoption as a first name follows the broader trend of transferring family names into given names. It carries a sturdy, grounded quality rooted in its stony etymology.
Petrina
“Feminine form of Peter, steadfast as rock”
Petrina is an elegant feminine variant of the classic name Peter, used primarily in English-speaking countries and parts of Scandinavia. The name carries the same solid, enduring qualities associated with its root meaning. It enjoyed modest popularity in the mid-twentieth century and retains a refined, somewhat rare character today.
Petroc
“Cornish saint's name meaning rock”
Petroc is a distinctly Cornish name with deep roots in the early medieval Celtic Christian tradition of southwest England. Saint Petroc was a sixth-century monk who founded monasteries at Padstow and Bodmin, and his veneration made the name prominent in Cornwall for centuries. Today the name is a proud marker of Cornish heritage and identity.
Petronella
“Feminine elaboration of Peter, Roman stone lineage”
Petronella is a stately, full-form feminine name with strong Roman and medieval European roots that found its way into English usage through ecclesiastical and noble traditions. The name was borne by an early Christian martyr venerated as Saint Petronilla, which gave it widespread currency throughout medieval Europe. In English-speaking contexts it has always been considered an elaborated, formal alternative to the plainer Petra or Petrina.
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