dictionary of names

[ dik-shuh-ner-ee uhv neymz ]

noun

1. a dictionary of given names that indicates whether a name is usually associated with masculine or feminine gender identity, or whether it is common across genders, and that often includes origins as well as meanings; for example, as by indicating that Evangeline, a name usually given to girls, meaning “good news,” comes from Greek. Used primarily as an aid in selecting a name for a baby, dictionaries of names may also include lists of famous people who have shared a name and information about its current popularity ranking.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dictionary of names¹

First recorded in 1720–30