So I didn't think discussion about this was going to last as long as it did, so I decided to make it into a whole thread.
Keep in mind that name origin isn't a concrete thing (so let's not get into arguments, keep it respectful). I used babynames.com, which was as close to a "scholarly" website as I could find.
Discuss!
The chart looks Great! I didn't think Sera would have a meaning at all...but I was wrong lol!
Thanks for making the chart!
Just a few of these names match the characters like Varric for instance...well to me it does lol
Hopefully soon we will find out what the Grey wardens name is! 
Going off the whole Tevinter Imperium as Roman Empire thing, I checked the latin for Dorian's last name and got:
Pavus, pavi: peacock
How could we not tell that Dorian is secretly a merman?! It's so obvious.
For some odd reason with the meaning of Cassandra's name Instead of entangles men I think of the word strangles ....don't hate me, I don't mean anything negative to Cassandra it's just the 2 words are close alike when you read them lol
Going off the whole Tevinter Imperium as Roman Empire thing, I checked the latin for Dorian's last name and got:
Pavus, pavi: peacock
Peacock merman with a sexy stache.
Vivienne is the opposite of lively in all pics I've seen, more like a zombie lol.
Aw, Seraphina is such a sweet name!
I see no Spanish names, though. I named one of my Wardens Arcelia, which is Spanish for 'altar of heaven'. I think it's a beautiful name.
Do BioWare characters usually have names with a significant meaning?
I was under the impression that only J.K. Rowling did this kind of research for every given name.
Still, nice chart.
It's just for fun/could perhaps prompt some interesting discussion or speculation.
I think it's interesting to note that "Solas" is also a city in Tevinter.
I'm curious to hear how David Gaider came to choose the name "Cole".
I'm Scottish. "Cullen" is a surname of Irish-Gaelic origin (related to Cuilinn, Cuileann [holly], Cuileannain, Cuilleannain, Cullinan, Cullinane, Quillinane, Cullin, Cullan...) though it's also commonly found in Scotland. It's said to mean "handsome/good-looking lad". A few sites have it as "Celtic" for "cub" or "young animal".
From a random site (no idea how much stock to put in it), "People with this name have a deep inner desire to lead, organize, supervise, and to achieve status, power and wealth. People with this name tend to be a powerful force to all whose lives they touch. They are capable, charismatic leaders who often undertake large endeavors with great success. They value truth, justice, and discipline, and may be quick-tempered with those who do not. If they fail to develop their potential, they may become impractical and rigid."
^ That's interesting. Cullen is or was a templar Knight-Captain, a rank below Knight-Commander and above Knight-Lieutenant and Knight-Corporal. He's done his share of leading, organizing and supervising, and I'd say it counts as a position of power. By Inquisition (so we speculate) he's now the commander of the military arm of the organization, and/or it's military advisor. I think that's a position with even more status and power. Cullen certainly is capable and has experience of leading. He also seems to value truth, justice and discipline, as we see when he turns against Meredith for example. I can see him being quick-tempered with people who don't share those values, perhaps certain Inquisitors and characters such as Sera and Iron Bull? 
"Vivienne" sounds nicely Orlesian. "Iron Bull" reminds me of "Sitting Bull" for obvious reasons. "Dorian Pavus" is potentially a reference to Dorian Grey, if you consider his personality description in the leaked survey, Tevinter magister decadence, Dorian Grey's character and the implications of "peacock".
From the sounds of things Sera is no angel!
And I sure hope Cassandra entangles women too. <33
Do BioWare characters usually have names with a significant meaning?
Definitely in DA anyway. Morrigan's serves as a callback to myth and another powerful sorceress. Alistair means "protector", which not only has a meaning similar to Warden, but also reinforces him as the princely type. Fenris means wolf, Anders' indicates his origins and that he's a secretive fellow since it's an obvious nickname.
ME was more subtle. The names' major function was to reflect culture, and less to define the character's nature in one nifty word.
I used behindthename.com with different results.
I think that many of these meanings may be wrong. I don't know an incredible amount of ancient greek anymore, but Thalassa, or Okeanus. From what I can see the name Dorian was first used in one of Oscar Wilde's books, and he probably took it from the Dorians, who were a greek cultural group.
The name website I use says that Cassandra means "shining upon man", but it's a name that's so old that we don't necessarily have an 100% accurate interpretation. If Cassandra does mean anything from a literary standpoint though, it'll have more to do with the fact that Cassandra was a prophetess who was "blessed" with the ability of prophecy, but cursed to never be believed. I'm fairly certain she was the only Trojan who was telling everyone "Omg, let's not bring that horse inside the city."
Vivian does mean alive, and he was a French saint. There may be some relevance there, though I'm too lazy to look up St. Vivian.
Sera could just as easily come from Sarah (princess) as it could Seraphim.
The website I use finally suggests that Cole may come from an old english surname that has its roots in the word "Charcoal." (Your definition assumes that Cole is derived from the name Nicholas, which is also possible).
Cullen seems to be derived from Cologne, a city in Germany. Cullen could also be related to names like Collin, Kellen, Caelan and the like which I've always thought meant, more or less, "Handsome warrior"...or maybe just "handsome", or "slender"... though I may be biased towards positive meanings of that name for various reasons.
I can't find any actual names that are similar to Varric, and Leliana definitely is Lily + Anna.
Is her full name really Seraphina?
Aw, Seraphina is such a sweet name!
I see no Spanish names, though. I named one of my Wardens Arcelia, which is Spanish for 'altar of heaven'. I think it's a beautiful name.
At least in Spain-Spanish the name that actually means "altar of heaven" is Araceli, could it be that Arcelia is a variation of it used in other countries? though I've looked it up out of curiosity (in spanish webs) and it seems to have other meaning, but, it's also cool: "treasure chest"
Is her full name really Seraphina?
Not that we know afaik. I think OP was just extrapolating for the purposes of this thread.
There was a Saint called Bibiane, the old form of Vivienne, who was martyred in Rome. But in a sea of Jesus imagery, that isn't particularly informative. I guess if you were really reaching you could draw a historical analogy between the conflict of the two Chantries and the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. But you'd be really really reaching.
Given that she presents herself with the moniker Madame de Fer, I think that's where we'll have to draw our analysis. The name tells us she's a mature adult, feminine, of high class, and unyielding. Stuff we'd been shown already.
The fact she won't give her last name lends itself to analysis too.
^ Do you think she's ashamed of it? Or perhaps she simply likes the air of mystery it gives her?
Not that we know afaik. I think OP was just extrapolating for the purposes of this thread.
Lame.... I want that to actually be her name, its kind of cute...
It reminds me of Serafina Pekkala from HDM.
Guest_StreetMagic_*
I wonder if the Sera = Seraph thing goes back to the DAO names. Mahariel is an angel guarding the gates of heaven. Tabris is an angel of free will.
Seems to be a lot of relation to elves and angels.
^ Do you think she's ashamed of it? Or perhaps she simply likes the air of mystery it gives her
It could be shame, but there's danger of rehashing a certain book plotline if they go that way. My first thought was, since Orlais is home to the Divine, it must be quite a pious place, yes ? If you were noble, you wouldn't want a blasphemous mage child. I think Vivienne was disowned, and she keeps her last name secret either out of respect for her parents, or hope that she may one day earn her way back into her family. This is just my hypothesis, and I have very little to back it up.
Is her full name really Seraphina?
Not that we know afaik. I think OP was just extrapolating for the purposes of this thread.
The spelling is short for it.
It could be a differently spelled Sarah/Sara, but with the current spelling, that is the name.
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