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Common first names

This is a list of common first names that are used in English-speaking countries.
Some learners of English like to choose an English name to use as their name in class.
This list tells you how to pronounce the name.

The names in brackets are common short forms or different forms of the name. These
other forms are usually more informal than the long form. For example, a boy might
be called ‘William’ by his teacher but ‘Bill’ or ‘Billy’ by his friends.

Male names
Adam /
d.əm/
Alan /
l.ən/
Alexander /
l.zɑ n.dər/
(Alex) /
l.ks/
Andrew /
n.dru / (Andy) /
n.di/
Anthony UK /
n.tə.ni/ US
/
n.θə.ni/ (Tony) /təυ.ni/
Benjamin /ben.də.mn/
(Ben) /ben/
Charles /tʃɑ lz/ (Charlie) /tʃɑ .li/
Christopher /krs.tə.fər/
(Chris) /krs/
Daniel /d
n.jəl/ (Dan) /d
n/
Darren /d
r.ən/
David /de.vd/ (Dave) /dev/
Edward /ed.wəd/ (Ed) /ed/
(Ted) /ted/
Geoffrey /def.ri/ (Geoff) /def/ Patrick /p
t.rk/ (Pat) /p
t/
George /dɔ d/ (Paddy) /p
d.i/
Harry /h
r.i/ Paul /pɔ l/
Jack /d
k/ Peter /pi .tər/ (Pete) /pi t/
James /demz/ (Jim) /dm/ Philip /fl.p/ (Phil) /fl/
John /dɒn/ Richard /rtʃ.əd/ (Ricky) /rk.i/
Jonathan /dɒn.ə.θən/ (Dick) /dk/ (Rick) /rk/
Joseph /dəυ.zf/ (Joe) /dəυ/ Robert /rɒb.ət/ (Bob) /bɒb/
Joshua /dɒʃ.ju.ə/ (Josh) /dɒʃ/ (Rob) /rɒb/ (Bobby) /bɒb.i/
Ian /i .ən/ Samuel /s
m.jυəl/ (Sam) /s
m/
Kevin /kev.n/ Simon /sa.mən/
Liam /li .əm/ Thomas /tɒm.əs/ (Tom) /tɒm/
Mark /mɑ k/ (Tommy) /tɒm.i/
Martin /mɑ .tn/ Timothy /tm.ə.θi/ (Tim) /tm/
Matthew /m
θ.ju / (Matt) /m
t/ William /wl.jəm/ (Billy) /bl.i/
Michael /ma.kəl/ (Mike) /mak/ (Will) /wl/ (Bill) /bl/
(Mick) /mk/
Nicholas /nk.ə.ləs/ (Nick) /nk/

Female names Christine /krs.ti n/ (Chris) /krs/ Karen /k
r.ən/

Clare/Claire /kleə[r]/ Laura /lɔ .rə/
Alice /
l.s/ Deborah /deb.ə.rə/ Linda /ln.də/
Alison /
l..sən/ (Debbie) /deb.i/ Lucy /lu .si/
Amanda /əm
n.də/ Diane /da
n/ Margaret /mɑ .ə.rət/
(Mandy) /m
n.di/ Elizabeth /lz.ə.bəθ/ (Maggie) /m
.i/
Amy /e.mi/ (Beth) /beθ/ (Liz) /lz/ Mary /meə.ri/
Ann/Anne /
n/ Emily /em..li/ Rachel /re.tʃəl/
Bridget /brd.t/ Emma /em.ə/ Rebecca /rbek.ə/ (Becky) /bek.i/
Carol /k
r.əl/ Hannah /h
n.ə/ Ruth /ru θ/
Caroline /k
r.ə.lan/ Helen /hel.ən/ Sarah /seə.rə/
Catherine/Kathryn /k
θ.rn/ Jane /den/ Sharon /ʃ
r.ən/
(Kate) /ket/ (Katie) /ke.ti/ Jennifer /den..fər/ Sophie /səυ.fi/
(Cath) /k
θ/ (Jenny) /den.i/ Susan /su .zən/ (Sue) /su /
Charlotte /ʃɑ .lət/ Joanne /dəυ
n/ (Jo) /dəυ/ Tracy /tre.si/
Chloe /kləυ.i/ Julie /du .li/ Valerie /v
l.ə.ri/