What the Origin Field Tells You
Every name on this site carries an origin tag: the language a name came from before it entered the languages it is used in today. Emma is tagged Germanic, because it began as a short form of Germanic names built on ermen, whole. Noah is tagged Hebrew. A name that passed through two traditions carries both tags: Lucas is Greek in form and spread through Latin, so it is listed under both.
This guide explains the main origin groups and shows how they are spread across the thirteen countries on this site. Every example and figure comes from each country's most recent ranking, 2025, or 2024 for Canada, Spain and Italy, as checked on 3 October 2026. The tags are this site's own classification, based on the standard etymological references, and a name can carry more than one.
How Common Each Origin Is
The current rankings of the thirteen countries contain 630 different names. A name used for girls and for boys counts once for each. Hebrew and Latin are almost level as the most frequent origins, with 150 and 145 names. Names with Latin, Greek or Hebrew roots also rank in slightly more countries on average than Germanic or Norse ones: about 2.2 countries each, against 1.9 and 1.7. The Slavic and Celtic groups are too small for that comparison to mean much.
| Origin | Names in the current rankings | Countries per name, on average |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | 150 | 2.2 |
| Latin | 145 | 2.2 |
| Germanic | 100 | 1.9 |
| Greek | 85 | 2.2 |
| Norse | 47 | 1.7 |
| Arabic | 23 | 1.8 |
| Slavic | 7 | 2.9 |
| Celtic | 5 | 2.0 |
Which Origin Leads in Each Country
Each country's current ranking holds 100 names, 50 for girls and 50 for boys. Counting the tags among them shows which origin is most frequent: Latin in Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France and Sweden; Hebrew in Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States; Germanic in Denmark and England and Wales. Germany is left out, because its list holds only ten names per sex.
Norse names are almost entirely a Scandinavian matter. They make up 25 of Norway's 100 names, 19 of Sweden's and 18 of Denmark's, and no more than 3 anywhere else. Their share has grown in all three since 2021: from 21 to 25 in Norway, from 16 to 19 in Sweden and from 13 to 18 in Denmark.
| Country | Most frequent origin (names of 100) | Second |
|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | Latin (41) | Hebrew (30) |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Hebrew (33) | Latin (28) |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Latin (29) | Hebrew (25) |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | Germanic (24) | Latin (22) |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Latin (35) | Hebrew (23) |
| 🇫🇷 France | Latin (27) | Hebrew (23) |
| 🇬🇧 England & Wales | Germanic (21) | Hebrew (20) |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Hebrew (31) | Latin (27) |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Hebrew (36) | Latin (27) |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | Hebrew (27) | Norse (25) |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | Latin (26) | Hebrew (21) |
| 🇺🇸 United States | Hebrew (33) | Latin (24) |
The Origin Groups
Hebrew Origins
Hebrew names came into European use through the Bible. Some belong to figures of the Old Testament, such as Noah, David and Hannah. Others reached Europe through people in the New Testament who carried Hebrew names, such as John, Mary and Matthew. Many contain a word for God: Gabriel means God is my strength, Elias my God is Yahweh, and Matteo gift of God.
In the current rankings: 150 names. The highest share is in the Netherlands, with 36 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Latin Origins
Latin names spread with the Roman Empire and, later, with the saints of the Church, whose names were given at baptism for centuries. Many began as Roman family names or nicknames: Emilia comes from Aemilius, Julia from Julius, and Paul from Paulus, meaning small.
In the current rankings: 145 names. The highest share is in Austria, with 41 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Germanic Origins
Germanic names come from the early languages of the Germanic peoples, the ancestors of German, Dutch, English and the Scandinavian languages. Most were built from two elements, such as hari, army, wald, rule, or hild, battle, and the pair did not always add up to a meaningful phrase. Many names in use today are short forms of such compounds: Emma began with ermen, whole.
In the current rankings: 100 names. The highest share is in Denmark, with 24 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Greek Origins
Greek names spread through the New Testament, which was written in Greek, through the saints of the early Church and through the Byzantine Empire. Many describe a quality: Sophia means wisdom, and Alexander defender of men. A good number reached western Europe in Latin form and therefore carry both tags.
In the current rankings: 85 names. The highest share is in Italy, with 20 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Norse Origins
Norse names come from Old Norse, the language of medieval Scandinavia and of the Viking settlements in Iceland, the British Isles and Normandy. Many refer to the old gods, as Astrid does with áss, god, and others to animals, such as Ulf, wolf, and Bjørn, bear.
In the current rankings: 47 names. The highest share is in Norway, with 25 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Arabic Origins
Some names of Arabic origin are given in Europe by families who use them, such as Muhammad, Ibrahim and Nour. Others came into European languages from Arabic words long ago: Ambre is the French word for amber, and Vega is the name of a star that European astronomers took from Arabic.
In the current rankings: 23 names. The highest share is in France, with 12 of 100. That is up from 7 in 2021. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Slavic Origins
Slavic names come from the languages of central and eastern Europe and are often built from elements such as mil, dear, slav, glory, and mir, peace. Few of them rank in the countries covered here. Valdemar, a royal name in Denmark, goes back to the Slavic Vladimir.
In the current rankings: 7 names. The highest share is in Switzerland, with 4 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Celtic Origins
Celtic names come from the Celtic languages, of which Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Breton are still spoken. Few rank in the countries covered here, and several of those that do are Breton names used in France and Switzerland, such as Maël and Malo. Irish names such as Liam, Nora and Oscar carry their own Irish tag on this site.
In the current rankings: 5 names. The highest share is in Switzerland, with 3 of 100. The names below rank in the most countries; the number gives how many.
Using Origins When Choosing a Name
If the name has to work in several countries
The names that rank in the most of the thirteen countries are Noah (13), Olivia (12), Sofia (12), Emma (11), Liam (11) and Mia (11). Four of the six have four letters or fewer, and their origins differ: Hebrew, Latin, Greek and Germanic are all represented.
If the name should belong to one place
Every country page lists the names that rank there and in none of the other twelve countries. Those lists are the most direct way to find a name with a clear local identity.
If the meaning matters
Hebrew names often contain a word for God. Latin and Greek names often describe a quality, such as Felix, lucky, or Sophia, wisdom. Germanic names usually join two elements whose combined meaning is looser than a translation suggests. Every name card on the country pages shows the origin tag next to the meaning.