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1001 Cryptic names

How to interpret names in cryptic crossword clues.
Given names can have several cryptic meanings. Names in cryptic clues can refer to: 
  • literal meanings, e.g. Rose, Herb, Felicity, Pen, Will
  • abbreviations, e.g. Alan, Dominic, Patricia, Susan, William 
  • associations, e.g. Sigourney, Marco, Sam, Kelly, Colin 
  • homophones, e.g. Phil, Wayne, Sean, Jeanie, Nell
  • gramograms, e.g. Kay, Jay, Ivy, Emily

A

Aaron - spelling 
Abel - third man, victim 
Abigail - abig 
Abraham - Hebrew father 
Adam - first man 
Adelaide - city, queen 
Adonis - handsome man 
Al - gangster, gore 
Alan - al 
Albert - al, hall, watch-chain 
​Alexander - bell, pope 
​​Alfred - great 
​Ali - greatest, Muhammad 

Alice - adventurous girl, cooper, springs 
Allan - border 
Amy - friendliness, little woman, march
Anansi - trickster  
Andrew - and, prince 
Angus - aberdeen, ans, cattle 
Anna - coin 
Anne - askew, frank, orphan girl, princess 
​Annie - orphan 
​​Anthony - ant, eden 
Aphrodite - greek goddess 
April - month 
Archibald - gun, primrose, prize 
Ariel - spirit 
Arthur - art, dent, king, miller 
Atticus - finch 
Aurora - dawn goddess, northern light, southern light 
Ayn - rand

B

Baldric - belt 
Barb - hook, horse 
Barbara - barb 
Beatrice - bea 
Beatrix - potter 
Beau - admirer 
Belle - beauty 
Ben - big, hall, hur 
Benny - hill 
Bess - queen 
Beth - Hebrew letter, little woman, march 
Bill - account, beak, draft, fare, gates, health, poster 
Billie - holiday, jean 
Billie Jean - king 
Billy - can, cock, goat, kettle, kid, wilder 
Blaise - pascal 
Blanche - pale 
Bob - curtsy, cut, fish, hope, rebound, s, shilling, sled, stay, tail, weight 
Bobby - policeman, sox
Bonnie, accomplice, criminal 
Bonny - comely 
Brad - nail, pitt 
Bram - stoker 
Brent - goose 
​Brian - blessed, may
Brit - eng 
Britney - spears 
Brooke - shields 
Bruce - lee 
Bud - sprout 
Buddy - holly, mate 

C

Caesar - emperor 
Cain - cane, murderer, second man 
Cam - shaft, wheel, wheel part 
Cameron - cam 
Candice - candy 
Candy - sweet, tuft 
Carmel - friar, mount 
Carol - song 
Caroline - in the time of Charles 
Carter - carrier 
Cary - grant 
Cassandra - prophet 
Cassius - clay, conspirator 
Cate - dainty 
Cath - roman 
Catherine - cat, cath, empress, great, kit, wheel 
Charles - bear, chas, chuck, darwin, dickens, hal, lamb, prince, wain 
Charlie - c, sheen 
Charlotte - char, web 
Cherry - colour, fruit 
Christina - stead 
Christopher - robin 
Chuck - berry, call, darling, fix, throw 
​Cilla - black

Cinderella - cinders, dance 
​​Clare - cla 
Clark - gable, kent 
Cliff - rock-face 
Clyde - barrow, criminal 
Cole - porter 
Colin - firth 
Con - prisoner, steer, study, trick 
Condoleeza - rice 
Connor - con 
Constance - spry, steadiness 
Cornelius - corn 

D

Daisy - chain, cow, flower 
Dan - brown 
Daniel - book, interpreter 
Daphne - flower 
David - beloved Hebrew, star 
Davy - affidavit, lamp, swear 
Dawn - first light, French 
Dean - church man, college fellow, dene, good man, martin 
Deborah - harry 
Delilah - temptress 
​Dennis - den, hopper 
Derek - bo 
Desdemona - unfortunate wife 
Di - die, dye 
Diana - di, goddess, hunter, princess 
Dick - declaration, detective, ordinary 
Dirk - dagger 
Dom - title 
Dominic - dom, west
Don - put on, Spaniard, university staff 
Donald -  don, trump 
Donna - Italian lady, Spanish lady 
Dora - Defence of the Realm Act 
Dorian - ancient Greek, grey 
Doris - day 
Dorothy - bag, dot, traveller 
Dot - spot 
Dottie - tobacco remnant 
Dotty - mad

E

Earnest - instalment, serious 
Ebenezer - scrooge 
Ebony - black wood 
Eden - paradise 
Edna - dame 
Edvard - munch 
Edward - e, ed, er, heath, hm, king, lear, ned, prince, ted
Eleanor - crosses, old queen 
Eli - priest, prophet
Eliot - ts  
Elizabeth - browning, e, queen 
Emily - em, mle 
Emma - book 
Emmy - award, me 
​Eric - ambler 
Erica - flower 
Ern - earn, urn 
Ernest - ern 
​Eva - ever
Eve - day before, first lady 
Ezra - pound, reformer, scribe 

F

Fabian - persistent 
Fay's - phase 
Felicity - happiness 
Fern - plant 
Fi - fee 
Finn - European 
Fiona - fee, fi 
Flora - plants 
Florence - flo, nightingale 
Frances - fanny, fran 
Francis - bacon, drake, frank 
Frank - german, open, packer 
Franklin - pierce 
Freddie - blind, mercury 

G

Gaby - talkative 
Garfield - cat, sobers 
Gary - glitter, gus 
Gemima - puddleduck 
Gemma - leaf-bud 
Gene - hereditary unit 
Geoffrey - rush 
George - bass, best, bush, cross, curious, g, geo, gr, jewel, king, medal, saint, sand, shaw, st
Georgia - county, ga 
Gerald - ford 
Geraldine - page 
Gertrude - stein 
Gideon - bible, judge 
Gill - measure, organ, ravine 
Ginger - spice 
Giuseppe - verdi 
Gladys - knight 
Goliath - giant 
Gordon - brown, flash, gecko 
​Grace - charm 
​Graham - greene 
Grant - cary, concede fund, general 
Gregory - illuminator, peck, pope, st 
Greta - garbo 
Griffin - fabulous creature 
Gunter - grass 
Guy - effigy, fawkes, grotesquely dressed person, hospital, ridicule, rope, run away 

H

Hagar - exile 
Hal - prince 
Hannibal - soldier 
Hans - german 
Harold - harry, holt 
Harry - blind, harass, ordinary, potter, prince, spoil 
Hazel - bush, colour, witch 
Heath - ledger, wasteland 
Heather - flower, ling 
Hector - bluster, bully 
Hedda - hopper 
Helen - garner 
Helena - saint 
Heloise - tragic lover 
Henry - fielding, ford, h, hen, hy, king, o, rider haggard, temple 
Herb - plant 
Herbert - herb, hoover, tree 
Hercules - pillars, stars, strong man 
Hilary - term 
​Holly - buddy, hunter 
Honour - reputation 
Horace - poet 
Howard - carter, catholic family 
Hugh - grant 
Hugo - victor, weaving 
Humphrey - bear, sir 
Hyacinth - bouquet, bucket, flower 

I

Ian - Scotsman 
Ida - princess 
Imogen - virtuous wife 
Ina - princess
India - country, man, paper, rubber, ship 
Irene - empress 
Iris - flower 
​Isaac - newton, singer 
Ismail - merchant 
Ivan - terrible 
Ivy - iv 

J

Jack - ass, boot, daw, flag, frost, hoist, j, ketch, knife, lad, lantern, london, ripper, sailor, sprat, union 
Jack Ketch - hangman 
Jacob's - ladder 
Jade - horse, stone 
James - baker, bond, brown, cook, ivory, king, mason, whistler 
Jason - old sailor 
Jay - bird, j 
Jean - cloth 
Jeannie - genie 
Jenny - crane, spinner, wren 
Jeremy - irons 
Jerry - builder, can, chamberpot, German 
Jess - strap 
Jesse - window 
Jimmy - carter 
Jo - brand, little woman, march 
Joan - arc, rivers, st 
Job - patience, prod, work 
Job's - comforter 
Jock - dj, Scotsman, Scottish soldier 
Joe - American soldier 
John - bull, doe, dory, hurt, loo, major, waters 
Johnny - cash, idler, walker Jonah bad luck, prophet, sacrifice, whale 
Jonathan - swift 
Jordan - jo, kingdom, river 
Joseph - banks, chaste man 
​Josephine - baker 
Josh - joke 
Joshua - josh 
Josiah - josh 
Joy - happiness 
Judas - traitor 
Jude - law 
Judith - heroine 
Judy - garland 
Jules - jewels 
Julian - calendar 
Juliet - j 
June - midsummer, month 
Justin - saint 

K

Kate - moss 
Katherine - kit, northern town 
Kathryn - hunter 
Kay - k 
Keith - urban 
Kelly - gene, grace, ned, pea, pool 
Kelvin - degree, k, temperature 
Kerry - county, ker, packer 
Kirk - church 
Kit - cat, fiddle, gear 
Kitty - kitten, pool 

L

Lana - turner 
Lance - corporal, prick, spear 
Laura - riding, wilder 
Lauren - designer 
Lawrence - dh, te 
Lee - general, lea, shelter 
Len's - viewer 
Leo - pope 
Lewis - cs, gun 
Lily - flower, lis
Lincoln - abe 
Lloyd - bridges 
Lloyd's - London, underwriters 
Lou - reed 
Louis - french king
Lucille - ball 
Lucretia - chastity 
Lucy - girl with diamonds 
Luke - st, warm 
Lydia - old district 
Lysander - commander 

M

Madeleine - mad 
Madonna - lily, mary, singer 
Mae - west 
Mae West - life-jacket 
Malcolm - mal Scottish king, x 
Mallory - mal 
Marcel - wave 
Marco - polo 
Margaret - mead, thatcher 
Marge - margarine, margin 
Maria - lunar seas 
Marian - maid, of the virgin, tudor 
Marigold - flower 
Marina - mooring, prior 
Mark - catch, cross, disciple, German money, m, notice, of the beast, st, score, signature, spot, target, twain 
Mark Tapley - cheery person
​Martin - dean, king, luther, sheen, swallow 
Mary - mother, my, princess, queen, st 
Mason - james, stone-worker 
Matt - dull 
Matthew - matt, prior 
Maud - plaid 
Maurice - ravel 
Mavis - bird 
Max - maximum 
Maxwell - max, smart 
May - blossom, day, fair, fly, month, pole, possibly, queen, tree 
Medusa - jellyfish 
Meg - little woman, march 
Mel - brooks 
Mem - character, fox 
Meredith - merry 
Merle - blackbird 
Merlin - falcon 
Micah - mica 
Michael - bond, fox, mike 
Mick - catholic, jagger 
Mike - m, microphone 
Miles - measures 
Millicent - mill 
Mina - weight 
Minerva - goddess of wisdom 
Minnie - driver, min, mouse 
Miranda - naïve girl 
Morris - dance, west 
Moses - lawgiver 
Muriel - spark 
Myrtle - plant 

N

Naomi - mother-in-law 
Neddy - donkey 
Neil - young 
Nell - knell 
Nelly - sea-bird 
Nelson - hold, lord 
Nelson's - column 
Nicholas - cage, st 
Nick - name, notch, park, prison, steal 
Nick's - nix 
Noah - boat-builder 
Noah's - ark 
Noddy - sea-bird, simpleton
​Noel - Christmas, coward 
Norm - standard 
Norma - jean shearer 
Norman - norm, of Normandy, wisdom 

O

Oberon - fairy king 
Olive - fruit 
Oliver - hardy, ol, Roland's match, stone, twist 
​Oscar - award, o, wilde 

P

Paddy - Irishman, rice 
Page - leaf, servant 
Pam - shriver 
Pan - cake, criticize, nature spirit, tray 
Paris - blue, plaster, white 
Pat - Irishman, ready, some butter, stroke 
Patricia - pat, patch 
Patrick - paddy, pat, st, white 
Paul - apostle, martyr, pall, pope, revere, saint, st 
Pearl - barley, gem, loved one, purl, tooth 
​Peg - leg, mark, persevere, pin 
​Pen - sty, write 
Penelope - constant wife, pen, penny 
Penny - coin, d, lane, p, pretty, royal 
Percy - noble family 
Perry - pear drink 
Pete - peat 
Peter - apostle, gate-keeper, give out, pan, penny, pet, rabbit, st, sellers, weir 
Phil - fill 
Philip - apostle, fillip, prince
Philippa - phil 
​Phyll - fill 
​Phyllis - phyll 
Poll - parrot, survey 
Polly - poll 
Poppy - flower 
Portia - heiress, moon, spider 
Primrose - flower 
Prudence - discretion 
Prunella - scales 
Puck - disc, sprite 
Punch - drink, horse, hole, proud, strike 

R

Rachel - ward 
Randolph - stow 
Raquel - welch 
Ray - beam, x 
Raymond - chandler, ray 
Rebecca - reb, Welsh riots 
Regina - r, reigning queen 
Rene - French man 
Rex - cat, r, reigning king 
Reynard - fox 
Rhett - butler 
Richard - briers, cliff, grant, king, rick 
Rick - stack, wrick 
River - phoenix 
Roald - dahl 
Rob - roy, steal 
Robert - browning, burns, frost, graves, peel, rob 
Robin - bird, hood 
Rod - bar, cane, laver, pole, stick 
Rodney - marsh, rod 
Roger - jolly, radio call 
Rohan - rowan 
Roland - knight, Oliver's match 
Roman - font, numeral, old statesman, times 
​Romeo - r 
Rosalind - crossdresser 
Rose - flower, got up, pink 
Rowan - ash, berry, tree 
Roy - rob 
Ruby - colour, stone, wax 
Rudolph - red-nose, reindeer 
Russ - russian 
Russell - brand, russ, rustle 
Ruth - park, pity 

S

Sally - banter, excursion, expedition, field, sal 
Salome - seductress 
Sam - my word, uncle 
Samuel - plimsoll 
Sash - scarf, window-frame 
Sasha - sash 
Saul - bellow 
Scout - look-out, reject, servant 
Sean - shorn 
Seth - fourth man 
Sharon - stone 
Shaun - shorn 
Shirley - temple 
Sibyl - hag, sorceress 
Sigourney - weaver 
Simon - follower, pure, rattle, st, says 
Skye - county, sky, terrier 
Solomon - sam, sol, wisdom 
Stacey - sissy 
​Stan - laurel 
Stanley - knife, stan 
Stella - star 
Stephen - fry, hawking, martyr, st 
Steve - martin 
Stevie - nicks, wonder 
Sue - prosecute 
Summer - adder, counter, season 
Susan - sue 
Sylvester - sly 

T

Tara - Tibetan goddess 
Ted - heath 
Terence - stamp, terry 
Teresa - mother, st 
Terry - fabric 
​Thomas - follower, hardy, more, tom, tommy 
​Thor - thunder god 
Tina - turner 
Tom - big bell, cat, cruise, fool, hanks, kitten, ordinary, sawyer, thumb, uncle ​Tommy - food, gun, rot, soldier 
Tristan - knight, lover 

V

Vanessa - van 
Verity - truth 
Veronica - flower 
Victor - frankenstein, v, winner 
Victoria -, cross, queen, state, v, vic 
Vincent - price 
Viola - flower, instrument, vi 
Violet - colour, flower, vi 
​Virgil - poet 
Virginia - creeper, state, tobacco, va
Viv - albertine 
Vivien - leigh, viv 

W

Warren - colony, densely populated area 
Warwick - county, war 
Wayne - wane 
Wendy - friend, house 
Will - good, ill, instructions, intention, purpose, question, wisp
​William - bill, conqueror, hurt, lamb, laud, pitt, prince, tell, w, will 
Winifred - win
​
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  • Home
  • Family history
    • Family tree templates >
      • Ancestor charts
      • One line ancestor charts
      • Descendant charts
      • Family group charts
      • Family record-keeping charts
      • How to edit family tree templates
  • Cryptic crosswords
    • Cryptic code-breaker
    • Sudoku strategies
    • 1001 Abbreviations
    • 1001 Anagram indicators
    • 1001 Cryptic letters
    • 1001 Cryptic names
    • 1001 Cryptic short words
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