Abigail
The origin of this name is from the Hebrew meaning ‘father be delighted’. One of king David’s wives bore this name. Abbie is a shortened form of Abigail.
Adelaide
From the German meaning ‘kind’. There was a number of saints with this name, the most significant of which, was the widow of the Roman Emperor, Otto.
Adeline
This name means ‘noble’ and originates from German.
Agatha
The origin of this word is Greek ‘Agathe’ meaning good. This was the name of a famous third century saintly woman who was highly regarded in the Eastern as well as the Western Church.
Agnes
The name of a popular fourth century saint, St Agnes. It comes from the Greek name ‘Hagne’ meaning ‘pure’. This name is very widespread throughout Christian Europe.
Aimee
Stems from the French ‘aimer’ which means ‘to love’. The name ‘Aimee’ is an altered form which means ‘beloved’.
Alberta
The female form of ‘Albert’.
Albina
The name originates from Latin and it means ‘White’.
Alex (Alexa) / Alexandra (Alexandria)
The female form of Alexander.
Alexia
The female form of Alexis.
Alice
An alternate form of ‘Adelaide’. Other forms of this name that were used in the twelfth century England and France were ‘Alicia’ and ‘Alesia’.
Alison
Another form of ‘Alice’.
Anastasia
This word originates from the Greek word ‘Anastasios’ meaning ‘resurrection’. Two popes and more than twenty saints bore this name.
Andrea
The female form of ‘Andrew’.
Angel
From the Greek word ‘Angelos’ meaning ‘messenger of God’.
Angela
Derived from the name ‘Angel’.
Angelina
A form of ‘Angela’. A shortened form of ‘Angela’.
Ann (Anna, Anne)
Originally comes from the Hebrew ‘Hanna’. Other forms of ‘Ann’ include ‘Annie’ and ‘Anita’ which is from the Spanish form ‘Ana’ of ‘Ann’. Annette is also a familiar form of ‘Ann’ in France.
Antoinette
The feminine form of ‘Antoine’ which is the French for ‘Anthony’.
Antonia
The Italian feminine form of ‘Anthony’. A few Italian saintly women bore this name in the fifteenth century.