Matty
August 29, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Mattie“, “Maddie”, etc.; diminutive of of “Matilda“, “Martha“, etc., or of “Matthew”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Maddi, Maddie, Maddy, Madge, Mart, Martie, Marty, Mat, Matt, Matti, Mattie, Maud, Maude, Maudie, Midge, Pat, Patti, Pattie, Patty, Tilda, Tilde, Tillie, Tilly, etc.
For boys: Mat, Matt, Mattie, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Matty Kelley, one of the shopgirls in “Becky”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Windlow
August 29, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Possibly a variation of “Winslow”, an old English place name meaning “friend’s hill”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Winnie, Winny, Windslow, Winselow, Winsloe, Winslow, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Windlow Aplin, who was given his mother’s maiden name as a first name, a snobbish, bragging boy from a snobbish, bragging family, in “Esther Bodn”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Eph
August 29, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Ephraim“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Efraim, Efrain, Efrayim, Efrem, Ephraim, Evron, Jevrem, Yefrem, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Eph (Ephraim) Merridew, Sibyl’s brother, a headstrong young man allied with the Rebel troops, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Ephraim
August 29, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew name “Efrayim”, meaning “very fruitful”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Efraim, Efrain, Efrayim, Efrem, Eph, Evron, Jevrem, Yefrem, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ephraim, one of the Boston children roused to their chores at the start of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
– Ephraim Lapham, the aging silversmith Johnny is apprenticed to in Johnny Tremain.
– Dr. Ephraim Merridew, Sibyl’s father, prevented from joining the Rebel cause by business in Barbados, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Ephraim Merridew (called “Eph“), Sibyl’s brother, a headstrong young man allied with the Rebel troops, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from A Flock of Girls and Boys.
Jeffrey
August 29, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Geoffrey“, from the French version of a Germanic name, meaning “peaceful land” or “peace of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fredo, Geffrey, Geoff, Geoffrey, Geoffroi, Geoffroy, Gjord, Godfrey, Godfried, Goffredo, Goraidh, Gottfrid, Gottfried, Jef, Jeff, Jefferson, Jeffery, Jeffries, Jeffry, Jep, Jepson, Seafra, Sieffre, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mr. Jeffrey Merridew, a staunch Tory who hopes to keep his niece from following in the footsteps of her Rebel father and brother, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Jeffrey Jacob (J.J.) Abrams (b. 1966), American actor, composer, director, producer, and screenwriter.
– Jeffrey Eugenides (b. 1960), American novelist and short story writer.
– Jeffrey Farnol (1878-1952), English author.
Washo
August 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the Great Basin Native American Washo language, meaning “people from around here”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Wa She Shu, Waashiw, Washoe.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Washo, Wallula’s father, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Barney
August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Barnabas”, “Barnaby”, or “Barnard” / “Bernard“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Barna, Barnabas, Barnaby, Barnard, Barnie, Ben, Bernard, Bernardo, Bernd, Bernhard, Bernie, Bernt, Berny, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Barney, the company manager at the Grand Opera House in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Barney McGuire, a ranchman who is supposed to deliver Molly’s gift to Wallula, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Barney Simon (1932-1995), South African director, playwright, and writer.
Bert
August 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Albert”, “Herbert“, “Robert“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bertie, Bertil, Berto, Berty, Burt, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bert Purcel, Royal’s kid brother, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Bert Rice, Anna Kronborg’s beau, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Bert Schierbeek (1918-1996), Dutch writer.
– Bert Stiles (1920-1944), American short story writer.
– Bert Sugar (1937-2012), American sports historian and writer.
– Bert Leston Taylor (1866-1921), American author, columnist, humorist, and poet.
Royal
August 27, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From the English word “royal”, meaning, well, “royal” . . . Ultimately derived from Latin via French, meaning “kingly”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Leroi, Leroy, Rollo, Roy, Royale, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Royal Purcel, the “egg-boy” with a hidden artistic talent, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Berk
August 27, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Berkeley” / “Berkley”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bar, Barclay, Barklay, Barkley, Barklie, Barrclay, Berke, Berkeley, Berkie, Berklee, Berkley, Berky, Birk, Birkeley, Birkley, Bourke, Burk, Burke, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Berk (Berkeley) Pelham, Margaret’s older brother, “That Little Smith Girl” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 