GIRL NAMES | The Art of Literary Nomenclature

Moll

August 13, 2014 § 2 Comments

ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Molly“, a diminutive of “Mary“, “Maria“, etc.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maille, Malle, Manon, Molle, Mollie, Molly, Pol, Pola, Poll, Pollie, Polly, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– The nickname Captain Mirvan gives to his daughter Maria Mirvan, Evelina’s dearest friend, with whom she enters into London society, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.

Evelina

August 13, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
Variant of “Evelyn” or “Aveline”, from the Germanic “Avila”, possibly meaning “desired one”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aileen, Ava, Avalina, Avaline, Avalyn, Avelina, Aveline, Avelyn, Avila, Eileen, Eva, Evalina, Evaline, Evalyn, Eve, Eveline, Evelyn, Evie, Evita, Evvie, Evvy, Lena, Lina, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Evelina Anville, the naive and unspoiled young lady whose “entrance into the world” is told, through a series of letters, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.

Lucy

August 13, 2014 § 7 Comments

ORIGIN:
English version of “Lucia”, the feminine form of “Lucius”, from the Latin for “light”. Sometimes used as a diminutive of “Lucasta”, “Lucille”, “Lucinda”, “Lucretia“, “Louisa” / “Louise”, etc.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Luca, Lucasta, Luce, Lucetta, Lucette, Luci, Lucie, Lucia, Lucienne, Lucila, Lucile, Lucilla, Lucille, Lucinda, Lucinde, Lucine, Lucretia, Lulu, Luzia, Louisa, Louise, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Miss Lucy Boler, whose life is saved when her cat, Cora, alerts her to a fire, as told in “The Kit-Kat Club”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Lucy Miles, one of Dolly’s friends, in “Dolly Varden”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories.
– Mrs. Lucy Mirvan, Lady Howard’s daughter, who carries Evelina into London society as friend and companion to her own daughter, Maria, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.
– Lucy Steele, a clever, manipulative, and self-serving young woman, whose beauty and shrewdness can’t quite cover for her “want of real elegance and artfulness” for those who are paying attention, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).

WRITERS:
– Lucy M. Boston (1892-1990), English novelist.
– Lucy Clifford (1846-1929), British novelist and journalist (known as “Mrs. W.K. Clifford”).
– Lucy Grealy (1963-2002), American poet and memoirist.
– Lucy Herbert (1669-1743/44), English devotional writer.
– Lucy Beatrice Malleson (1899-1973), English author who wrote under the pen names “Anne Meredith” and “Anthony Gilbert”.
– Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery (1874-1942), Canadian author.
– Lucy Fitch Perkins (1865-1937), American children’s book writer and illustrator.
– Lucy Walker (1907-1987), pen name used by Australian writer Dorothy McClemans (also as “Dorothy Lucy Sanders” and “Shelley Dean”).

Philura

August 12, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
Probably from Latin, meaning “linden tree” or “writing tablet”. Or possibly a variation of “Philippa”, “Phillida”, “Philomena”, “Phyllis”, etc., or of “Pilar”. But probably the Latin one.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Philaura, Phileria, Philleria, Phillire, Philora, Philoria, Philyra, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Philura Maple, the aunt who gave Zeena the cherished, ill-fated, red pickle dish for a wedding present, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Endurance

August 12, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
One of the “virtue” names created by the Puritans, meaning, you know, “endurance”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
I don’t think there are any variations, unless you count all of the other “virtue” names (“Faith”, “Hope”, “Charity”, “Patience”, etc.). As for nicknames . . . whatever. You do what you want.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Endurance Frome, Ethan’s mother, whose death left him lonesome enough to turn to his cousin Zenobia for comfort, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Matt

August 12, 2014 § 2 Comments

ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Mattie” / “Matty” or “Matthew“.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Maddi, Maddie, Maddy, Madge, Mart, Martie, Marty, Mat, Matti, Mattie, Matty, Maud, Maude, Maudie, Midge, Pat, Patti, Pattie, Patty, Tilda, Tilde, Tillie, Tilly, etc.
For boys: Mat, Mattie, Matty, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Matt (Matthew) Creighton, Ellen’s husband and Jethro’s father, a well-respected farmer of integrity and compassion, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Matt (Mattie) Silver, Zeena’s attractive young cousin who comes to stay with the Fromes, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Mattie

August 12, 2014 § 3 Comments

ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Matty“, “Maddie”, etc.; diminutive of “Matilda“, “Martha“, etc., or of “Matthew“.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Maddi, Maddie, Maddy, Madge, Mart, Martie, Marty, Mat, Matt, Matti, Matty, Maud, Maude, Maudie, Midge, Pat, Patti, Pattie, Patty, Tilda, Tilde, Tillie, Tilly, etc.
For boys: Mat, Matt, Matty, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mattie Silver (called “Matt” for short), Zeena’s attractive young cousin who comes to stay with the Fromes, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Zenobia

August 12, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
From Greek, meaning “life of Zeus”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sena, Seena, Senia, Sina, Xena, Xeena, Xenia, Xina, Xenobia, Zena, Zenia, Zenicia, Zenija, Zenovia, Zina, Zinovia, Zinoviya, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Zenobia Frome (called “Zeena“), Ethan’s sickly, caustic wife in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Zeena

August 12, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Zena”, possibly a feminine version of “Zeno”, or a variant of “Xenia” / “Zenia”, or a diminutive of names like “Rosina” or “Zenobia“, “Zenaida”, etc.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sena, Seena, Senia, Sina, Xena, Xeena, Xenia, Xina, Zena, Zenia, Zenicia, Zenija, Zina, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Zeena (Zenobia) Frome, Ethan’s sickly, caustic wife in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).

Belle

August 12, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
Like “Bella“, a diminutive of “Belinda”, “Beulah”, etc., or names ending in “-ella” (such as “Isabella”, “Annabella”, “Arabella“, etc.), or names ending in “-belle” (such as “Maybelle”, “Dorabelle”, etc.) Possibly from French, meaning “beautiful”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Arabel, Arabella, Arabelle, Amabel, Amabella, Amabelle, Anabel, Anabella, Anabelle, Annabel, Annabella, Annabelle, Bell, Belle, Belina, Belinda, Belinha, Beulah, Elizabeth, Isabel, Isabella, Isabelle, Izabel, Izabella, Izabelle, Sabella, Sabelle, Zabel, Zabella, Zabelle, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Belle Archie (née White), Dr. Archie’s unpleasant wife, “one of those people who are stingy without motive or reason”, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Belle Jeffreys, friend of the Gray girls and Berry Joy, in A Little Country Girl (1885), by Susan Coolidge.

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