Babies Naming Babies
January 6, 2016 § Leave a comment
In this link, you’ll find an internet discussion about what happens when you ask preschoolers for baby name suggestions. Hilarity ensues. (Although, to be fair, some of their “outlandish” suggestions aren’t too far off from the “unique” names a lot of parents saddle their kids with. After all, once you’re naming children “Bentley” and “Porsche”, can “Racecar” be far behind? And if “Paisley” and “Hashtag” are acceptable, why not “Balloon” and “Potato”?)
A Garland of Holiday Handles
January 3, 2016 § Leave a comment
There has long been a tradition of looking to the calendar for naming inspiration, as a person’s birthday has often been considered an indication of how they will fare in life and who (or what) they will become; hence naming a child after the saints or holidays associated with the date of the child’s birth. In the linked article, you’ll find a list of some of these festive monikers (don’t forget to click through for more info, as always!):
These somewhat-unusual Christmas-related cognomens include:
For girls: Angela, Charity, Chiara, Christina, Clara, Faith, Hannah, Holly, Hope, Imani, Jemima, Joy, Lucy, Mary, Natalie, Natasha, Paloma
For boys: Abner, Alban, Christian, Christopher, Cristobal, Emmanuel, Jasper, Joseph, Nick, Noel
The State of Pop Culture Naming (Harry Potter Edition)
November 25, 2015 § Leave a comment
We’ve talked before about how pop culture influences naming trends (try clicking here or here for more on the topic; and click here for some examples of when it sort of went the other way), but when it comes to some of the classical names used by author J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series, it can be tough to tell how much influence the books really had, or whether those particular names hold their places on the list because, well, they’ve just been around for ages.
In any case, the linked article gives you some popularity rankings for many of the names used for characters in the series; some are more instantly recognizable as “Potterhead-influenced” than others, to be sure! (Bonus game: Can you remember the last names of the characters whose names made the list before you click through to learn more about the names themselves?):
“Harry Potter’s Influence on Baby Names”
For witches: Amelia, Arabella, Bellatrix, Ginny, Hermione, Lavender, Lily, Luna, and Minerva
For wizards: Cedric, Cornelius, Draco, Dudley, Godric, Harry, Kingsley, Lucius, Neville, Percy, Remus, Ron, Seamus, Severus, Sirius, and Viktor
By Any Other Name?
November 24, 2015 § Leave a comment
It’s common knowledge that, as Juliet (via William Shakespeare) says, “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet” . . . or would it? The linked articles discusses some of the ways in which your name may reflect your background . . . and affect your prospects:
“Who Wins in the Name Game?”
(“From dating to job prospects, a name has remarkable power over the path of its owner’s life.”)
“5 Ways Your Parents Changed Your Life When They Named You”
(alternate title: 5 Bizarre Ways Your Name Defines Who You Are)
Examples of Elongated Eponyms
November 23, 2015 § Leave a comment
Some folks prefer the simple, straightforward, short-and-sweet when it comes to names, but there is something to be said for the long-and-lovely names in this article, no? (As always, be sure to click through for more info!)
“25 Baby Names That Push The Character Count”
For girls: Alessandra, Alexandria, Clementine, Elisabeth, Evangeline, Guadalupe, Gwendolyn, Jacqueline, Katherine, Magdalena, Montserrat, Temperance
For boys: Alessandro, Alexzander, Broderick, Christopher / Cristopher / Kristopher, Demetrius, Francisco, Johnathan, Maximilian / Maximiliano, Remington, Zachariah
Sukey
November 23, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of names such as “Susannah”, “Susan“, “Sarah“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sooki, Sookie, Sooky, Su, Sue, Suse, Susey, Susi, Susie, Suki, Sukie, Susy, Suze, Suzey, Suzi, Suzie, Suzy, Zooey, Zooie, Zsazsa, Zsuzsa, Zsuzsi, Zsuzsu, Zu, Zuza, Zuzi, Zuzia, Zuzu, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sukey, a servant girl at Sam Adams’ house in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Sukey Vickery (1799-1821), American novelist and poet.
QUOTATIONS:
– The second verse of the nursery rhyme “Polly Put The Kettle On” (1797), based on the writer’s observation of his young daughters at play, goes: “Sukey, take it [the kettle] off [of the table] again, / They’ve all gone away.”
Jenifer
November 23, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Jennifer”, a variation of the Welsh “Gwynhyfar” / “Guinevere” / “Gwenevere” / etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Jen, Jena, Jenae, Jenelle, Jenessa, Jeni, Jenna, Jenni, Jennie, Jennifer, Jenny, Jinelle, Jin, Jinessa, Jini, Jinifer, Jinni, Jinnie, Jinny, Yenifer, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jenifer Lorne (née Silsbee), Rab’s aunt, “tiny-footed and too plump”, a kind-hearted woman who is very fond of Johnny, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
Percival
October 7, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Perceval”, a name created for the poem Perceval, or the Story of the Grail, written in the 12th century by French poet Chrétian de Troyes; possibly influenced by the Old French for “to pierce the valley” or “to perceive the veil (of religious mystery)”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Parsifal, Parzifal, Perce, Perceval, Percevale, Percie, Percy, Percyvelle.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Percival Tweedie, the “eligible bachelor” silversmith who comes to join Lapham as partner after Johnny’s accident, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Percival Everett (b. 1956), American novelist, professor, and short story writer.
– Percival Pickering (1865-1965), pen name of English author Anna Marie Wilhelmina (A.M.W.) Pickering.
– Percival Pollard (1869-1911), American critic, novelist, and short story writer.
– Percival Serle (1871-1951), Australian bibliographer and biographer.
– Percival Spear (1901-1982), English educator, government worker, and historian.
– Percival Stockdale (1736-1811), English poet, reformer, and writer.
– Percival Wilde (1887-1953), American author and playwright.
– Percival Christopher (P.C.) Wren (1875-1941), English author and educator.
Rab
October 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
A Scottish variation of “Rob“, short for “Robert“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bob, Bobbie, Bobby, Brecht, Hob, Hopcyn, Hopkin, Pertti, Rabbie, Rob, Robbe, Robbie, Robby, Robi, Robin, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Rab Silsbee, the laconic apprentice and nephew to Mr. Lorne, owner of The Observer; a born fighter who becomes Johnny’s best friend and hero in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Rab Noakes (b. 1947), Scottish singer and songwriter.
– Rab Wilson (b. 1960), Scottish poet and translator.
Popular Names: East Coast vs. West Coast
October 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
The linked article explores a bit how baby-naming trends vary from coast to coast, even within the boundaries of these United States. As always, click through for more info (including some really cool heat maps of each name’s popularity, state-by-state)!
– “These Names Are Trending More With East Coast Than With West Coast Parents”
– “Baby Names That Are More West Coast Than East Coast”
Girl names, East Coast: Adrianna, Camryn, Caroline, Gabriella, Gabrielle, Jada, Jaliyah, Kayleigh, Kyleigh, Laila, London, Londyn, Miracle, Nyla, Paris, Ryleigh, Skylar
Girl names, West Coast: Audrey, Audrina, Aylin, Daisy, Daphne, Dulce, Evelyn, Hazel, Jimena, June, Kendra, Kira, Lexie, Marilyn, Mila, Mina, Penelope, Perla, Ruby
Boy names, East Coast: Amir, Bryce, Cameron, Jayceon, Messiah, Michael, Nasir, Zion
Boy names, West Coast: Adrian, Alfredo, Damian, Dane, Dominik, Edgar, Gael, Gerardo, Isaac, Ivan, Joaquin, Leonel, Lincoln, Malakai, Maximiliano, Oliver, Orion, Ramon, Rodrigo, Romeo, Ruben
- BONUS! For those prepsters on the East Coast, or the few stragglers on the West, who are looking for something new and unusual for their future graduate:
– “49 Preppy Baby Names Destined For The Ivy League”
Preppy names for girls: Ainsley, Arabella, Bronwyn, Harper, Margaux, Poppy, Tilly
Preppy names for boys: Aldrich, Blaine, Bradford, Briggs, Brooks, Connery, Corbin, Davis, Digby, Graham, Hudson, Ingram, Keaton, Lennox, Merritt, Niles, Orson, Quincy, Roland, Teague, Thatcher, Thompson, Tucker, Vance, Whitaker, Yates
Preppy names for either: Addison, Aubrey, Blair, Darcy, Ellison, Emerson, Finley, Hunter, Kingsley, Leighton, Palmer, Preston, Reed, Sloane, Sterling, Tinsley
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 