For the Birds

I admit it--I have a soft spot for bird-names: Wren, Lark, Robin, even the "weird" ones like Kestrel, Peregrine, & Heron. Unfortunately, when your last name is an English word, pretty much any other word-name is off-limits. Thankfully, bird-names are pretty common in just about every language! And since it's my birthday, and what I want to write about fits in nicely with an Easter/Spring-type-post, here're a bunch of names with avian meanings.

Boys:

• Ákos (AK-osh, Hungarian)--from Turkish, "white falcon"
• Aras (AH-rahs [r is trilled/rolled], Lithuanian)--"eagle"
• Ari (ah-ree, Icelandic, Finnish)--from Old Norse, "eagle" [also means "lion" in Hebrew, and "brave" in Armenian]
• Arne (AR-neh, Scandinavian)--from Old Norse, "eagle"
• Astor (AS-tor, English)--from Provençal, "hawk"
• Bertram (BER-tram, English, German)--from Germanic, "bright raven"
• Bran (BRAN, Irish or BRAHN, Welsh)--"raven"
• Callum (KAL-lum, Scottish)--from Latin, "dove". Other versions include Colum (Irish) and Koloman (German).
• Corbin (KOR-bin, English)--from French, "raven"
• Einín (EH-neen, Irish)--"little bird"
• Ezio (ETS-yoh, Italian)--from Greek, "eagle"
• Gawain (gah-WAYN or GAH-wine, English)--from Welsh, "white hawk". Variant is Gavin.
• Haytham (HYE-thahm, Arabic)--"young eagle"
• Jonah (JOH-nah, Hebrew)--"dove". Variants include Jonas.
• Lonan (LOH-nan, Irish)--"blackbird"

Girls:

• Aderyn (ah-DEHR-un, Welsh)--"bird"
• Alcyone (al-SYE-on-ee, Greek)--"kingfisher"
• Alondra (ah-LOHN-drah, Spanish)--"lark"
• Branwen (BRAHN-wen,Welsh)--"blessed raven"
• Celandine (SEL-an-deen, English)--from Greek, "swallow"
• Circe (SEER-see, Greek)--"falcon"
• Geiléis (gel-AYSH, Irish)--"bright swan". Variant is Gelace (gel-AYS).
• Gwennol (GWEN-nol, Welsh)--"swallow"
• Gwylan (GWEE-lan, Welsh)--"seagull"
• Idriya (ee-dree-yah, Hebrew)--"duck"
• Jemima (jeh-MYE-mah, English)--from Hebrew, "dove"
• Lærke (LAHR-keh, Danish)--"lark"
• Llinos (HLEE-nos, Welsh)--"finch" or "linnet"
• Paloma (pah-LOH-mah, Spanish)--"dove"
• Parastu (pahr-ahs-too, Persian)--"swallow"
• Philomel (FIL-oh-mel, English)--"nightingale"
• Sarika (sah-rih-kah, Indian [Hindi])--"talking bird" [parrot, cuckoo, myna, etc]
• Sazume (sah-zoo-meh, Japanese)--"sparrow"
• Séanait (SHAY-nat, Irish)--"hawk"
• Svana (SVAH-nah, Icelandic)--from Germanic, "swan"
• Tsubame (tsoo-bah-meh, Japanese)--"swallow"
• Usoa (oo-soh-ah, Basque)--"dove". Variant is Uxue (oo-shoo-eh).
• Zipporah (zip-POR-ah, English)--from Hebrew, "bird". Other versions include Tzipporah (Hebrew), Sepphora (Greek), and Seffora (Latin).

Unisex: 

• Aquila (ah-KWEE-lah, Latin)--"eagle"
• Columba (col-UM-bah, Latin)--"dove"
• Merle (MURL, English)--from French, "blackbird"
• Shahin (sha-heen, Persian)--"falcon". Also spelled Shaheen.