Names

From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning “high”.

From the name of a plain that appears in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (verse 9:26) in some versions of the Old Testament. This place name was used by Marie Corelli for the title of an 1889 novel, which is probably the reason it gained some currency as a given name just after this time.

From the Middle Persian form of Artakhshathra (see Artaxerxes). This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Persia who defeated the Parthians and founded the Sassanid Empire. He also established Zoroastrianism as the state religion.

Probably derived from Greek ἀρδάλιον (ardalion) meaning “water pot”. This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Asia Minor.

Anglicized form of Ardghal.

Possibly means “marker, stake” in Turkish.

Means “master of horses” from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning “master” and ἵππος (hippos) meaning “horse”.

Feminine form of Archippos.

Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning “master” and μήδεα (medea) meaning “plans, counsel, cunning”. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.

Meaning unknown, of Persian origin. This was the name of an 8th-century Georgian noble who was executed for refusing to convert to Islam.