Len
July 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Leonard”, from the Germanic for “brave lion”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lenart, Lennart, Lennie, Lenny, Leo, Leon, Leonard, Leonardo, Leonhard, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Len Shaine, Gabe and Rosie’s brother, and Lily’s enigmatic uncle, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Len Deighton (b. 1929), English artist, historian, novelist, and writer.
– Len Fox (1905-2004), Australian activist, author, journalist, and painter.
– Len Peterson (1917-2008), Canadian novelist, playwright, and screenwriter.
– Len Roberts (1947-2007), American poet.
Gabe
June 11, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Gabriel”, from the Hebrew “Gavri’el”, meaning “man of God” or “God is my strength”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cebrail, Dzhabrail, Gabby, Gabey, Gabi, Gabie, Gabor, Gabriel, Gabriele, Gabrien, Gavrail, Gavrel, Gavriel, Gavril, Gavriil, Havryil, Jabrel, Jibril, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Gabe Shaine, Rosie’s younger brother, a librarian who moves in to help raise Lily, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Gabe Hudson (b. 1971), American educator, novelist and writer.
Rosie
June 10, 2015 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Rosey ” / “Rosy“; diminutive of “Rose“, “Rosa“, names beginning with “Ros-“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Rohese, Rohesia, Ros, Rosa, Rosabel, Rosaleen, Rosalie, Rosalind, Rosaline, Rosamond, Rosamonde, Rosamund, Rosanne, Rose, Roselin, Roselind, Rosella, Roselle, Rosemond, Rosemund, Rosetta, Rosette, Rosey, Rosina, Rosine, Rosita, Roslyn, Rosy, Royse, Roz, Roza, Rozelle, Rozie, Rozy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Rosie Pearl, Lily’s adored mother in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Rosie Boycott (b. 1951), English activist and journalist.
– Rosie Harris (b. 1925), pen name of Welsh romance author Marion Rose Harris.
– Rosie Malek-Yonan (b. 1965), Assyrian activist, actress, author, and director.
– Rosie O’Donnell (b. 1962), American actress, author, comedian, and media personality.
– Rosie Rushton (b. 1946), English novelist and non-fiction writer.
– Rosie Scott (b. 1948), Australian-New Zealander novelist.
– Rosie Thomas (b. 1947), pen name of Welsh journalist and romance author Janey King.
– Rosie Goldschmidt (R.G.) Waldeck (1898-1982), German-American author also known as “Rosa Waldeck”.
Nan
June 9, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Ann” / “Anne“, or shortened version of “Nancy“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ann, Anne, Annie, Anny, Nainsi, Nancie, Nancy, Nana, Nance, Nandag, Nanette, Nanice, Nanine, Nannie, Nanny, Nanse, Nansi, Nansie, Nansy, Nenci, Nensi, Neske, Nest, Nesta, Nina, Ninette, Ninon, Nona, Nonna, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nan Duval, Diana’s younger sister, who lost an eye in a dart accident, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
QUOTATIONS:
– From The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602), Act IV scene 4, by William Shakespeare: “My Nan shall be the Queen of all the fairies, / Finely attired in a robe of white.”
WRITERS:
– Nan Agle (1905-2006), American children’s book writer.
– Nan Chauncy (1900-1970), Anglo-Australian children’s book writer.
– Nan Cohen (b. 1968), American poet.
– Nan Fairbrother (1913-1971), English lecturer and writer.
– Nan McDonald (1921-1974), Australian editor and poet.
– Nan C. Robertson (1926-2009), American author, educator, and journalist.
– Nan (Anna) Shepherd (1893-1981), Scottish novelist and poet.
– Nan Bentzen Skille (b. 1945), Norwegian biographer and editor.
Lola
May 24, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Dolores”, meaning “sorrowful”. May also be used (in a roundabout sort of way) as a diminutive of “Dorothy” or “Mary“, through the “Doll” / “Moll” / “Poll” / “Loll” rhyming tradition.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Loleta, Lolette, Lolicia, Lolita, Loll, Lollie, Lolly
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lola Osborne, Carrie’s friend and fellow actress, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Lola Anglada (1893-1984), Spanish illustrator and writer.
– Lola Ridge (1873-1941), Irish-American anarchist, editor, and poet.
– Lola Rodríguez de Tió (1843-1924), Puerto Rican activist and poet.
– Lola Lemire Tostevin (b. 1937), French Canadian poet, novelist, and translator.
Percy
May 24, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
From an English last name, derived from a French place name, “Perci”, a small Norman village; or a shortened version of “Percival“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Parsifal, Parzifal, Perce, Perceval, Percevale, Percie, Percival, Percyvelle.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Percy Weil, a New York theatrical agent, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Bart
May 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Bartholomew“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Barth, Bartholomew, Bartie, Bartlett, Bartley, Bartol, Barty, Bertok, Mees, Mies, Tolly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bart Taylor, a young man of Jessica Hurstwood’s acquaintance, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Bart Kennedy (1861-1930), English journalist, memoirist, and novelist.
– Bart Van Lierde (b. 1974), Flemish novelist, playwright, and songwriter.
Mac
May 12, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Mack”, a shortened version of various Gaelic or Celtic surnames beginning with “Mc-” or “Mac-“, meaning “son of”, or used as a generic term for “man”. Also sometimes used as a diminutive for “Magnus”, “Malcolm”, “Max“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mack, Mackie, Macky, Max, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mac Lewis, a fellow Elk in Drouet’s lodge who does “heavy dramatics” and offers to help put together the lodge’s theatrical fundraiser, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Eddie
May 11, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Edward“, “Edgar”, “Edwin“, “Edmund”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ed, Edd, Eddi, Eddy, Ned, Nedd, Neddie, Neddy, Ted, Tedd, Teddie, Teddy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Eddie Fahrway, a friend of the junior George Hurstwood, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Eddie Harris, a beau of one of the other shop girls at the Chicago shoe factory where Carrie first finds employment, in Sister Carrie.
Minnie
May 10, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Wilhelmina” (the feminine form of “Wilhelm”, which is the Germanic version of “William“), or a Scottish variation of “Mary“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mame, Mamie, Manon, Mari, Mary, Mayme, Mien, Mimi, Mina, Minette, Minna, Minni, Minnith, Mira, Miri, Miriam, Mitzi, Vilma, Wilhelmina, Willa, Willie, Willy, Wilma, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Minnie Hanson, Carrie’s married older sister in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 