Female names:
Omideh is a strictly feminine form of Omid.
Unisex names:
Omid means “hope.”
Sorry, I couldn’t find any other Persian names starting with O! Some languages just have letters that are very uncommon for names. If you know any other legit Persian O names, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to add them.
Illustration from King Arthur’s Knights: The Tales Retold for Boys and Girls (1911), by Walter Crane
Nimue is a sorceress known as the Lady of the Lake. In some stories, Merlin falls in love with her and becomes trapped by her magic. Nimue is also Lancelot’s protector and foster mother, and she gives the sword Excalibur to King Arthur and, many years later, helps to take him to Avalon when he’s dying.
Ninniane is the Old French form of Nimue. It may be derived from the Old Celtic male name Ninian, which in turn might ultimately come from the Brythonic name *Ninniau. Other forms include Ninniene, Niniane, Nyneve, Nymenche, Nimiane, Ninieve, Nivene, Niviène, Nivienne, Niviana, Niniame, Nymanne, Nimanne, Nynyane, Nenyve, Nyneue, Niniave, and Nynyue.
Merlin and Nimue (1861), by Edward Burne-Jones
Olwen means “white footprint” in Welsh, from roots ol (track, footprint) and gwen (white, blessed, fair). She’s one of the title characters of the Welsh epic Culhwch and Olwen. When Culhwch refuses to marry his stepsister, his stepmother curses him with the inability to marry anyone but Olwen. Though he’s never seen her, he falls in love with her. His father tells him he can only find Olwen with the help of his cousin King Arthur, who obligingly helps with the difficult search.
Orgeluse derives from the French word orgueilleuse (haughty). This is a character in Wolfram von Eschenbach’s 13th century romance Parzival. The name is spelt Orguelleuse in Chrétien de Troyes’s unfinished romance Perceval, the Story of the Grail.
Illustration of Culhwch and Olwen at the court of Olwen’s father Ysbaddaden, Celtic Myth & Legend (1905?), by Ernest Wallcousins
Palatyne, or Palentina, is one of the triplet sisters of water spirit Melusine. Their other sister is Melior. When their mortal father Elynas, King of Scotland, breaks his promise to not go into the bedchamber of his wife Pressyne while she’s giving birth, Pressyne leaves Scotland and raises her triplets in Avalon.
Qrainglaie is an Irish queen in Chretien de Troyes’s Les Merveilles de Rigomer.
Quebeleplus appears in Heinrich von dem Türlin’s Middle High German epic poem Diu Crône, which dates from about the 1220s.
Rathlean appears in the Irish romance Céilidhe Iosgaide Léithe (The Visit of Iosgaid Liath or Visit of the Grey-Hammed Lady). She’s the mother of Ailleann, who marries King Arthur when she takes him and the Knights of the Round Table to the Otherworld, and a granddaughter of the King of Iceland.
The Cumaean Sibyl (ca. 1617), by Domenichino
Sebile derives from the Greek word sibylla (sibyl). In Greco–Roman mythology, the sibyls (ten in number) are prophets and oracles. Sebile is a queen or princess who’s also a fairy or enchantress. She’s based on the Cumaean Sibyl, who presided over the oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony near modern-day Naples. According to legend, she lived a thousand years.
Soredamor is the lover of Alexander, a Knight of the Round Table, in Chrétien de Troyes’s epic poem Cligès (written about 1176). The Italian form is Sordamor.
Teleri is a contraction of the Welsh word ty (familiar “your”) and the name Eleri, which in turn derives from the name of a Welsh river. This river is also called the Leri. Teleri is a maidservant at King Arthur’s court in Culhwch and Olwen.
Sir Tristram and la Belle Ysoude drinking the love potion (1862–63), designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Xenebra is the Galician form of Guinevere.
Ydain is the name of two characters. One is a maidservant at King Arthur’s court and a cousin of Gawain, who marries Sir Cador of Cornwall. The other is rescued from Sir Licoridon by Gawain and mutually falls in love with Gawain, then decides to dump him for another knight. In revenge, Gawain gives her to the dwarf Druidan.
Ygrayne is a form of Igraine (King Arthur’s mother) used in Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th century epic Le Morte d’Arthur.
Yseut is an Old French form of Iseult used in 12th century Norman–French poet Béroul’s Tristan. Another Old French form, Ysolt, is used by Thomas of Britain in a 12th century poem also called Tristan.
1902 illustration of Mordred, by H.J. Ford
Mabon is the Welsh form of Maponos, which derives from Celtic root •makwos (son) and the diminutive or Divine suffix -on. Thus, it means “great son.” Mabon appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, where he’s a prisoner freed by King Arthur’s warriors to help with hunting a boar. In Ulrich von Zatzikhoven’s epic Lanzelot, the name is rendered in the Anglo–Norman form Mabuz.
Maelwys, Melwas, or Moloas may mean “noble pig,” “prince of death,” or “young prince.” He kidnaps Queen Guinevere and only is prevailed upon to finally release her when St. Gildas and the Abbot of Glastonbury get involved.
Maleagant also kidnaps Guinevere. Other forms of the name include Melwas, Meleagent, Meliagant, Meliagaunt, Meligaunt, Meliaganz, Meliagrance, and Mellegrans.
Meliodas is Tristan’s father.
Merlin comes from the Welsh name Myrddin, which probably ultimately derives from Moridunum, a Romano–British settlement, and the Celtic roots •mori (sea) and *dūnom (hill fort, rampart). Geoffrey of Monmouth probably chose to refer to this legendary wizard by the Latinised name Merlinus because Merdinus was dangerously close to the French word merde (a coarse word for excrement).
The Beguiling of Merlin (1873–74), by Edward Burne-Jones
Mordred comes from the Welsh name Medraut, which in turn possibly derives from the Latin word moderatus (moderated, controlled). Other forms include Medrod and Modred. In some stories, he’s King Arthur’s bastard son; in others, Arthur’s nephew. Mordred was first portrayed as a traitor in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s chronicle, where he seduces Queen Guinevere, declares himself king, and wages a deadly battle.
Morholt is Isolde’s brother or uncle.
Morien is the son of Sir Aglovale and a Moorish princess.
Orguelleus means “proud, orgulous,” from the Anglo–French word orguil (pride). Several Arthurian characters have this name.
Owain comes from an Old Welsh name variously spelt Ougein and Eugein, and thus may ultimately derive from the Greek name Eugenios (well-born). It may also have the Celtic roots *owi- (sheep), *awi- (desire), or *wesu- (good), plus the Old Welsh suffix gen (born of). Owain is a Knight of the Round Table, and usually written as the son of King Urien of Gore and the philandering husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain. He’s one of the Arthurian characters who actually existed.
Sir Pellias, The Gentle Knight (1903), by Howard Pyle
Palamedes may derive from the Greek roots palai (long ago, in days of yore) and medos (schemes, plans). He’s a Saracen Knight of the Round Table.
Pelleas, or Pellias, may come from the Greek name Peleus and the root pelos (clay). He’s a Knight of the Round Table and the husband of Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.
Pellehan, or Pellam, possibly derives from the Welsh name Beli Hen (Beli the Old). Beli may be a nickname for Belenus, which comes from the Gaulish name Belenos or Belinos and possibly the Indo–European root *bhel- (brilliant, bright) or *bel- (strong). Pellehan is the keeper of the Holy Grail.
Pelles is the son of Pellehan and the father of Elaine.
Pellinore may derive from the Welsh name Beli Mawr (Beli the Great). He’s a son of Pellehan, King of Listenois, and eventually part of King Arthur’s court.
The Temptation of Sir Percival (1894), by Arthur Hacker
Perceval was created by 12th century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, who may have based it on the Old French phrase perce val (pierce the valley) or the Welsh name Peredur. If it’s Welsh in origin, it may mean “hard spears,” from the roots peri (spears) and duri (hard, steel). Other forms include Parsifal and Parzifal (German), Perchéval (Picard), Percevelle, and Percival. Perceval is a Knight of the Round Table who achieves his quest for the Holy Grail.
Peredur (etymology above) is the 14th century Welsh equivalent of Perceval.
Rhun may derive from Proto–Celtic root *roino– (plain, hill) or *rnf (magic, secret). In the 1380s Red Book of Hergest, a story about time travelling in a dream, Rhun appears as a counsellor to King Arthur when 24 knights seek to make peace.
Rivalen is the German form of the Old Welsh name Rhiwallon, which in turn comes from the Old Celtic name *Rigovellaunos. It may mean “most kingly” or “lord ruler,” from roots rhi and gwallon. This is the name of Tristan’s father.
Female names:
Odarka is the Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Darya, a feminine form of Darius. It ultimately derives from Persian name Dārayavahush (possessing goodness).
Oksana is the Ukrainian form of Xenia (hospitality). An alternative form is Oksaniya.
Oleksandra is the Ukrainian form of Alexandra (helper/defender of man). One of the nicknames is Olesya.
Olena is the Ukrainian form of Helen, which comes from Greek name Helene and probably means “torch” or “corposant.” Other sources believe it’s related to selene (moon).
Olha is the Ukrainian form of Olga, which derives from Old Norse name Helga (blessed, holy).
Oryna is an alternate form of Iryna, which comes from Greek name Eirene (peace). One of the nicknames is Orysya.
Male names:
Okhrim is a folk form of Ephraim, which comes from Hebrew name Efrayim (fruitful).
Olefir comes from Greek name Eleutherios (free).
Oleh is the Ukrainian form of the Russian name Oleg, which derives from Old Norse name Helgi (blessed, holy).
Oleksandr is the Ukrainian form of Alexander (helper/defender of man).
Oleksiy is the Ukrainian form of Alexis (defender/helper).
Olherd comes from Lithuanian name Algirdas, which possibly derives from Baltic roots al (each) and girdas (news, rumour).
Omelyan is the Ukrainian form of Emilian, which ultimately derives from Roman family name Aemilius (rival).
Ostap comes from Greek name Eustathius (well-built, stable).
Male names:
Odart (I) derives from Old High German root ot and Old Saxon od (riches, wealth), and Old High German hart and Old Saxon hard (strong, hard). This name is also Medieval French, Medieval Scottish, and archaic Estonian.
Odelschalk (I) derives from Old High German root uodal (homestead, heritage) and Old Saxon skalk and Old High German scalh, scalc (servant). This name is also Medieval German.
Oderisi (I) derives from Latin name Oderisius, which is of uncertain etymology.
Odrich (I) derives from Old High German root ot and Old Saxon od (riches, wealth), and Old High German rih (ruler). This name is also Medieval French.
Offredo, Offrido (I) is a form of the Ancient Germanic name Autfrid, derived from Germanic root auda (property, wealth) and Old High German fridu (peace), or Ancient Germanic name Hohfrid, derived from Old High German roots hoh (high) and fridu. It may also have been a nickname for names ending in -offredo; e.g., Loffredo, Goffredo, Roffredo.
Omobono (I) means “good man.”
Female names:
Obedienta (I) means “obedient.”
Odierna (I) is a form of Odierne, which is turn is an Old French form of an Ancient Germanic name possibly derived from roots od (riches, fortune, wealth) and gern (desiring, eager; gairns in Gothic). The Medieval French form, Hodierna, was possibly chosen because of the Latin word hodierna (existing now, present, of today).
Onesta (I) comes from the adjective onesta (sincere, honest) or the noun onestà (honesty).
Oradina (I)
Orelia (T) is a form of Aurelia (golden, gilded).
Ostilia (I)
Onomastics Outside the Box 