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.
Metalka
August 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
As far as I can discover, the word “metalka” is possibly Slovenian or Serbian, meaning “metallic”. But the way I have seen it used in literature thus far, it seems to be a made-up name intended to sound Native American, specifically Walla Walla – Sahaptin. Which is all to say . . . I don’t know what it means or where it came from. Origin unknown.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
I don’t know.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Metalka, Wallula’s older sister in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Lula
August 28, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of names like “Louise” / “Louisa“, names that begin with “Lu-“, such as “Lucy” or “Lucretia“, or that contain “-ula”, such as “Wallula” or “Ursula”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Loola, Lou, Louella, Lulu, Oola, Ula, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lula, the nickname Molly Elliston gives to her friend Wallula, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Wallula
August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of “Walla Walla”, from the Walla Walla branch of the Sahaptin language, meaning “many waters”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lula, Luula, Ula, Uula, Wallawalla, Wallie, Wally, Waluula.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Wallula (sometimes called “Lula“), a local Native American girl Molly Elliston befriends, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
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).
Elsie
August 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Elizabeth“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
El, Elise, Elisheva, Elissa, Eliza, Ella, Elle, Ellie, Elly, Elsa, Else, Elsy, Elsje, Elspet, Elspeth, Elyse, Ilsa, Ilse, Isa, Lies, Liesl, Liese, Lis, Lisa, Lisbeth, Lise, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Elsie Lambert, the oldest daughter of the family, whose generous choice leads to a reconciliation, in “The Thanksgiving Guest”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Elsie Lloyd, an impetuous girl whose carelessness causes trouble, in “The Egg-Boy” from A Flock of Girls and Boys.
WRITERS:
– Elsie Finnimore Buckley (1882-1959), English writer and translator.
– Elsie Johannson (b. 1931), Swedish writer.
– Elsie Lessa (1912-2000), Brazilian journalist and writer.
– Elsie Locke (1912-2001), New Zealander activist, writer, and historian.
– Elsie J. Oxenham (1880-1960), pen name of English author Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley.
Marge
August 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Margaret” or “Margery” / “Marjorie” / “Marjory“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maarit, Madge, Mae, Maisie, Maisy, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Mamie, Maret, Margaux, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Margy, Marji, May, Meg, Megeen, Megan, Megen, Meggie, Meggy, Midge, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy, Peigi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Marge Lloyd, Elsie’s kind and tender sister, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Marge Piercy (b. 1936), American activist, novelist, and poet.
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 