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Barbara is a given name used in numerous languages. It is the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros ( Greek: βάρβαρος) meaning "stranger" or "foreign". [ 1] In Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara ( Greek: Ἁγία Βαρβάρα) was imprisoned in a tower by her father. She was then martyred by her father when ...
Olga (name) Olga is a female name of Slavic origins. It is the equivalent of Helga, and derived from the Old Norse adjective heilagr (prosperous, successful). The name was brought to Eastern Europe in the 9th century, by the Scandinavian settlers who founded Kievan Rus'.
Spencer is a given name of British origin, that means "steward" or "administrator". It is a shortened form of the English word dispenser, which derives from Anglo-French dispensour, from Old French dispenseor, from Latin dispensatorem, the agent noun of dispensare, meaning "to disperse, administer, and distribute (by weight)". [ 1]
Alison is a unisex given name, primarily a feminine name in English-speaking countries. It was originally a medieval French nickname for Alis, an old form of Alice [ 1][ 2] derived with the suffix -on or -son sometimes used in the former French nicknames. The Middle English form was Alisoun. The variant spelling Allison is the most common form ...
Melissa became a popular name in the United States during the 1950s. The name was very popular from the 1960s to the 1990s, today Melissa is a relatively uncommon baby name; in 2010, fewer than 2,500 girls were given the name, compared with around 10,000 in 1993 and well over 30,000 at the name's peak popularity in 1979. [17]
Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of Jehanne, the Old French feminine form of Iohannes, a Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs), which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), a short form of the name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan), meaning "Yahweh is merciful".
The names Hannah, Anna, Anne, Ann are etymologically related to Joanne just the same: they are derived from Hebrew חַנָּה Ḥannāh 'grace' from the same verbal root meaning "to be gracious". The Australian modern name convention of Joanne, shortened to "Jo", can also have the meaning of exceptional or highly successful salesperson.
In the 1940s, Americans started using the Ashley for girls and was more common for girls starting in 1964. [7] Ashley was considered a surname style name at the time. [8] In the 1980s the name had a rise in popularity attributed to the female soap opera character Ashley Abbott who emerged on the still-running TV series The Young and the Restless in 1982. [9]