Apis

Greek form of Egyptian ḥjpw (reconstructed as Hapi), which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology he was a sacred bull, sometimes considered a son of Hathor. He was later fused with Osiris resulting in the figure of Serapis.
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Aphrodite

Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning “foam”, resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
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Aphra

Meaning uncertain; possibly a variant of Afra 1, or possibly a variant of Aphrah, a biblical place name meaning “dust”. This name was borne by the English writer Aphra Behn (1640-1689).
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Aparna

Means “leafless, not having eaten leaves” in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
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Aparecida

Means “appeared” in Portuguese, taken from the Brazilian title of the Virgin Mary Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, meaning “Our Lady of the Conception Who Appeared”. It refers to a statue of the Virgin Mary that was said to have been pulled from a river by fishermen in the 18th century. Our Lady of Aparecida is regarded as the patron saint of Brazil.
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Aonghus

Possibly meaning “one strength” derived from Irish óen “one” and gus “force, strength, energy”. Aonghus (sometimes surnamed Mac Og meaning “young son”) was the Irish god of love and youth. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king and several Irish kings.
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