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
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.”
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.
Andy
September 26, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of names like “Andrew“, “Andor“, even “Alexander“, etc. For girls, sometimes a nickname for “Andrea” or even “Ann” / “Anne“, “Anna“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Andi, Andie, Andra, Drea, Ea, etc.
For boys: Andie, Andre, Andro, Andor, Antti, Atte, Bandi, Dand, Dre, Drew, Dru, Drue, Ea, Endre, Tero, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Andy, one of Johnny’s acquaintances, an apprentice at one of the shops on the wharf, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Andy Stack (1931-2015), pen name of American crime author Ann Rule, who also published as “Arthur Stone” and “Chris Hansen”.
Vinny
September 17, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of names such as “Vincent” or “Lavinia“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Lavina, Lavinia, Lavena, Viney, Vinie, Vinnie.
For boys: Vin, Vince, Vinn, Vinnie.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Vinny (Lavinia) Lyte, Johnny’s proud and determined mother (and Merchant Lyte’s niece), once the “wildest and handsomest girl in Boston”, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
Izzy
September 12, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
For boys, a shortened version of “Isidor” / “Isidore”, “Israel“, “Isaiah”, “Isaac”, etc. For girls, a shortened version of “Isadora”, “Isannah“, “Isabel” / “Isobel”, “Isabella“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Isa, Issie, Issy, Izzie.
For boys: Is, Isa, Issy, Iz, Izzie.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Izzy (Isannah) Lapham, Mrs. Lapham’s delicate and ethereally-beautiful youngest daughter, precocious, selfish, vain, and a skilled little actress, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
Madge
September 12, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Margaret” or “Margery” / “Marjorie” / “Marjory“, or possibly even “Martha“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maarit, Mae, Maisie, Maisy, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Mamie, Maret, Margaux, Marge, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Margy, Marji, May, Meg, Megeen, Megan, Megen, Meggie, Meggy, Midge, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy, Peigi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Madge Lapham, Mrs. Lapham’s oldest daughter, “handsome in a coarse-grained, red-faced, thick-waisted way”, loud-voiced and roughly good-natured, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
Priscilla
September 9, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Prisca”, from a Roman family name meaning “ancient” or “of ancient birth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cece, Cila, Cili, Cilka, Cilla, Cille, Pricila, Pricilla, Pris, Prisca, Priscila, Priska, Priskilla, Prissie, Prissy, Scilla, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Sile, Sille, Sisi, Sissie, Sissy, Zilla, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Priscilla Lapham (called “Cilla“), Mrs. Lapham’s devoted, reliable, practical teenaged daughter, who remains a true friend to Johnny through all the turmoil of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Priscilla (1735-1812), pen name of English activist, reformer, and writer Ann Jebb.
– Priscilla Buckley (1921-2012), American author and editor.
– Priscilla Galloway (b. 1930), Canadian children’s book author.
– Priscilla Napier (1908-1998), English author and biographer.
– Priscilla Uppal (b. 1974), Canadian novelist, playwright, and poet.
– Priscilla Wakefield (1751-1832), English activist, children’s book author, and writer.
Cilla
September 9, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Cecilia”, “Lucille”, “Priscilla“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cece, Celia, Cila, Cili, Cilke, Cille, Cissy, Luca, Luce, Luci, Lucia, Lucie, Lucja, Lucy, Lula, Lulu, Luus, Luzia, Pris, Prisca, Priska, Prissie, Prissy, Scilla, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Sile, Sille, Sisi, Sissie, Sissy, Zilla, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Cilla (Priscilla) Lapham, Mrs. Lapham’s devoted, reliable, practical teenaged daughter, who remains a true friend to Johnny through all the turmoil of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Cilla McQueen (b. 1949), English poet.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 