dictionary of names

American  

[dik-shuh-ner-ee uhv neymz] / ˈdɪk ʃəˌnɛr i əv ˈneɪmz /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of dictionary of names

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

One is a dictionary of names given to the Virgin, with observations on these names.

From Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 2 by Disraeli, Isaac

Such a statement of works, arranged according to periods, or reigns of English monarchs, is valuable only as an abridged dictionary of names and dates.

From English Literature, Considered as an Interpreter of English History Designed as a Manual of Instruction by Coppee, Henry