Dusty
September 9, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
A diminutive of “Dustin”, or a nickname given to people who were often dusty or dirty.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Dustee, Dusti, Dustie.
For boys: Dustan, Dustie, Dustin, Duston, Dustyn.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dusty Miller, one of Johnny’s two co-apprentices at Lapham’s silversmithing business, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Dusty Hughes (b. 1947), English director and playwright.
A Selection of Heel Goed Dutch Baby Names
September 7, 2015 § 1 Comment
If you follow the link, you’ll be able to find out a little bit more about these fantastic Dutch names (although a pronunciation guide is not always included; you may have to look that up yourself!):
“20 Dutch Baby Names You’ll Want to Steal Immediately”
(Click here to find the French version.)
For girls: Adrie, Anouk, Danique, Evi, Fay / Faye, Lina, Marit, Noa, Tess
For boys: Bas / Bastiaan, Bram, Cas / Casper, Coen / Coenraad, Everhart, Hans, Joost, Lars, Pim, Sander, Schuyler / Skylar
Hig
September 2, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Unknown; possibly a variation of “High” or diminutive of “Higgins” or some such, but really, I’ve no idea.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
. . . I’ve got nothing.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Hig Phillips, a wealthy farmer infamous in the area for hiring a substitute to go to war for him, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Lafe
September 2, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Possibly an Anglicization of the Old Norse “Leif”, meaning “heir” or “descendant”, or a diminutive of “Lafayette”, a French last name, meaning “son of Lafay” (“Lafay” being a place name meaning “near the beech tree”).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lafay, Lafaye, Lafayette, Lafee, Leif, Leiv.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lafe Edwards, proprietor of a saloon in Newton, which falls prey to Guy Wortman’s band of troublemakers, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Irv
August 31, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Irving”, from a Scottish last name / place name, meaning “beautiful” or “green water”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Earwin, Earvin, Erwin, Erwyn, Erv, Ervin, Ervyn, Irwin, Irwyn, Irven, Irvine, Irving, Irvyn, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Irv Chandler, a friend from Hildalgo, who joins in the watch over the Creighton farm when it’s threatened by Guy Wortman and his gang, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Nate
August 27, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Nathan” or “Nathaniel”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Nat, Natan, Natanael, Natanaele, Natanail, Nataniel, Nathan, Nathanael, Nathanahel, Nathaniel, Nath, Nathe, Natty, Nethanel, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nate (Nathaniel) Creighton (b. 1848), one of the three young Creighton boys who died of “paralysis” the year Jethro was born, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Dave
August 23, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “David“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Dai, Daividh, Dauid, Daveth, Davey, David, Davide, Davie, Davis, Davit, Davy, Daw, Dawid, Dawud, Dewie, Dewey, Dewydd, Dovid, Taavetti, Taavi, Tavi, Taffy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dave Burdow, Travis’ father, “a sullen, silent man who shunned people in general and accepted their insults as a matter of course”, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Rob
August 23, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Robert“, “Robin“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bob, Bobbie, Bobby, Brecht, Hob, Hopcyn, Hopkin, Pertti, Rab, Rabbie, Robbe, Robbie, Robby, Robi, Robin, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Rob Nelson, pretty young Mary Creighton’s beau on that fateful night in 1859, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Wilse
August 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From an English place name meaning “willow island”; or a diminutive of “Wilson”, or a variation of “Wallace”, “Welles”, “Wiles”, “Willis”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Wallace, Wallis, Walls, Welles, Wells, Wels, Wil, Wilce, Wiles, Will, Willie, Willis, Wills, Willy, Wilsey, Wilsee, Wilson, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Wilse Graham, Ellen’s staunchly pro-Confederacy nephew from Kentucky in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
Eb
August 21, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Eben” or “Ebenezer“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ben, Bennie, Benny, Ebb, Eben, Eben-ezer, Ebenezer, Ebeneezer, Ez, Eez, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Eb (Ebenezer) Carron (b. 1843), Jethro’s cousin, a hot-headed young man who joins Tom in running off to enlist in the Union Army, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 