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🎯 Names and Meanings scraper for Behindthename.com

This Apify Actor scrapes name data from behindthename.com, allowing you to collect structured information about names, including their meaning, origin, and gender.

The Actor supports searching for a specific name, searching by meaning, or retrieving a list of results, with optional filters for gender, origin, and name length.

🛠️ How does it work?

You select what to scrape using the Search section, with additional Filters available to help narrow your inquary.

• Use the Search section to choose the method for finding names.
• Filter the search to narrow the results so they fit your needs better
• Output data is stored in an Apify Dataset, one item per name

✨ Fun Ways to Use This Scraper ✨

• Character Creation – Discover unique names for stories, games, or roleplay characters
• Name Nerding & Research – Explore trends, origins, and meanings for fun or study
• Baby Names – Find names with the perfect meaning, origin, or gender for your little one
• App & Game Magic – Power your app or game with real names and meanings
• Personalized Gifts – Collect meaningful names for custom art, jewelry, or keepsakes

🗂️ Data that you can get

Get information for a single name, a list of names, or all names matching a meaning:

• Name – The name itself

• Meaning – Its meaning or significance

• Origin – Where it comes from

• Gender – Male, female, or unisex

🔍 Search options (Mutually Exclusive)

These options define the method of the search. They can not be combined. If more then one is provided the presedence is byStart -> byName -> byMeaning. First one filled in will be taken and the rest ignored. At least one method must be selected

🔡 byStart

Scrapes names that start with the letter (or letters) provided. Minimum of 1 letter is needed.

Type : string

"byStart":"A"

"byStart":"El"

🏷️ byName

Scrapes information for the name you provide. If multiple results exist for the same name, you’ll receive a list of all matches!

Type : string

"byName":"david"

🪄 byMeaning

Scrapes all names that include that meaning and returns the list of results.

Type : string

"byMeaning":"light"

🧩 Filters (combinable)

These filters can be combined with any one of the searches used, as well as with each other.

👤 byGender

Filter the names by the gender

Type : string

🔹 Available values

"byGender: "unisex"

🌍 byRegion

Filers the names by the region they originated from. Names can have more then one origin, and the search will return all listed origins. Type: string

"byRegion":"afrikaans"

🔹 Available values

📏 minimumLen and maximumLen

Filter by the length of the name. The minimum value that can be selected is 1, and the maximum value is 20

⚠️ Important: Maximum Length can not be smaller then the Minimum Length.

Type : integer

Used seperately the search will return any names that are longer/shorter then defined length.

"minimumLen":3

"maximumLen":5

By combining both you can search fo a specific lenght, or a range.

"maximumLen":6,
"minimumLen":3

Output Schema

Each Dataset item represents one name

Output Fields

Output Example

{
"name":"Estelle",
"gender":"f",
"region":"English, French",
"meaning":"From an Old French name meaning \"star\", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860)."
}

⚠️ Disclaimer

This Actor is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to BehindTheName.com. Any and all website content, trademarks, and product names belong to their respective owners. This scraper is intended for educational, research, and analytical purposes only. Users are responsible for complying with BehindTheName.com’s terms of service and applicable laws.