Ted
August 15, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Edward” or “Theodore“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ed, Edd, Eddi, Eddie, Eddy, Fedir, Fedor, Fedya, Ned, Nedd, Neddie, Neddy, Tad, Taddie, Taddy, Tedd, Teddie, Teddy, Teo, Theo, Todor, Toshe, Tudor, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mr. Ted (Theodore) Shaffer (known as “Teddy” when young), who found his long-lost ship captain father while working in a paper mill, in “In a Rag-Bag”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
WRITERS:
– Ted Lewis (1940-1982), English writer.
Theodore
August 15, 2014 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Greek “Theodoros”, meaning “gift of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fedir, Fedor, Fedya, Feodor, Fyodor, Tad, Taddie, Taddy, Ted, Teddie, Teddy, Tedo, Teo, Teodor, Teodoro, Theo, Theodor, Theodoros, Theodorus, Todor, Toshe, Tudor, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Theodore, Ray Kennedy’s deceased chum, in whose honor he nicknames Thea “Thee”, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Theodore Brocklehurst, one of the children of the formidable and hypocritical supervisor of Lowood Institute, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
– Theodore Ingram (called “Tedo“), Blanche and Mary’s brother, one of the elegant people who make up Mr. Rochester’s social set, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
– Mr. Theodore Shaffer (known as “Teddy“, and later “Ted“), who found his long-lost ship captain father while working in a paper mill, in “In a Rag-Bag”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
WRITERS:
– Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945), American novelist and journalist.
– Theodore Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), American writer, poet, and cartoonist, most famous for his work under the pen name “Dr. Seuss”.
– Theodore Roethke (1908-1963), American poet.
– Theodore Taylor (1921-2006), American author.
– Theodore H. White (1915-1986), American journalist and historian.
Dennis
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From the medieval French version of “Dionysios”, derived from the name of the Greek god of wine, dance, revelry, and fertility.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Deion, Den, Denes, Denis, Denney, Denny, Denys, Deon, Dion, Dionysios, Dionysius, Tenney, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dennis Flannigan, “the great Irish auctioneer”, a denizen of Pump Court, in “In a Rag-Bag”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Tommy
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Like “Tom“, a diminutive of “Thomas“, the Greek form of the Aramaic for “twin”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Tam, Thom, Tom, Toma, Tomas, Tommie, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Tommy Harrison, Carlotta’s touring minstrel father, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– Tommy Lambert, whose generous choice inspires Elsie, in “The Thanksgiving Guest”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Tommy O’Flaherty, a denizen of Pump Court, in “In a Rag-Bag”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Bridget
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Brigid”, from the Irish “Brighid”, meaning “strength” or “exalted one”, after the Irish goddess of fire, poetry, and wisdom.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bea, Bedelia, Bee, Beret, Berette, Berit, Biddie, Biddy, Bidelia, Birdie, Birdy, Birgit, Birgita, Birgitta, Birgitte, Breda, Bride, Bridgette, Bridie, Brighid, Brigid, Brigida, Brigit, Brigitta, Brigitte, Brit, Brita, Britt, Britta, Brygida, Gitta, Gittan, Gitte, Fraid, Piritta, Priita, Reeta, Rita, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bridget, Aunt Cathy’s Irish cook, in “Susy’s Dragon”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Cathy
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Catherine” / “Katherine“, and alternately spelled “Cathie” / “Kathie” / “Kathy”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cadi, Cady, Cait, Cat, Cate, Catey, Cathi, Cathie, Catie, Cato, Caty, Catya, Kady, Kaia, Kaity, Kaja, Kat, Kata, Katey, Kathi, Kathie, Kathy, Katie, Katka, Katri, Katy, Kay, Kaya, Kaye, Kaylee, Kayleen, Kit, Kitti, Kittie, Kitty, Kylee, Kyleen, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Aunt Cathy, who is left in charge of Susy and her brothers after their mother’s death, in “Susy’s Dragon”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
WRITERS:
– Cathy Kelly (b. 1966), Irish journalist and author.
Kit
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Christopher” or “Catherine” / “Katherine“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Cadi, Cady, Cait, Cat, Cate, Catey, Cathi, Cathy, Catie, Cato, Caty, Catya, Kady, Kaia, Kaity, Kaja, Kat, Kata, Katey, Kathi, Kathie, Kathy, Katie, Katka, Katri, Katy, Kay, Kaya, Kaye, Kaylee, Kayleen, Kitti, Kittie, Kitty, Kylee, Kyleen, etc.
For boys: Chip, Chris, Christy, Christie, Cris, Kester, Kris, Kristof, Toph, Topher, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Kit, Susy’s little brother, whose marble-playing she envies, in “Susy’s Dragon”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Kit (Christopher) Badcock, the innocent farmer whose young child is murdered while his wife, Margery, is carried off by the Doones, the final outrage which causes the locals to rise up against this scourge in their midst, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Kit Denton (1928-1997), Anglo-Australian broadcaster and writer.
– Kit (Christopher) Marlowe (1564-1593), English dramatist, poet, and translator.
Susy
August 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Susie”, “Suzy”, etc., which are all, like “Sue“, etc., diminutive of “Susan”, “Susanna”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sooki, Sookie, Sooky, Su, Sue, Suse, Susey, Susi, Susie, Sukey, Suki, Sukie, Suze, Suzey, Suzi, Suzie, Suzy, Zooey, Zooie, Zsazsa, Zsuzsa, Zsuzsi, Zsuzsu, Zu, Zuza, Zuzi, Zuzia, Zuzu, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Susy, who must learn to conquer her dragon, in “Susy’s Dragon”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Nickie
August 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Nicky” / “Nikki”, diminutive of “Nicholas” or “Nicole”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Cole, Colette, Coleen, Coline, Lina, Nica, Nichola, Nichole, Nicol, Nicola, Nicolette, Nicolina, Nicoline, Nicky, Nika, Nikka, Nikki, Nikkole, Nikol, Nikola, Nikole, Nikoleta, etc.
For boys: Cai, Claus, Colas, Col, Cole, Colet, Colin, Collin, Kai, Kay, Klaas, Klaus, Nels, Nic, Nichol, Nichols, Nick, Nicky, Nico, Nicol, Niek, Niels, Nils, Nik, Nika, Nikki, Niko, Nixon, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickie Boler, a boy “who was always well read on all sorts of queer old facts”, a founding member of the children’s society for the prevention of cruelty to cats, in “The Kit-Kat Club”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Will
August 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “William“, meaning “will-helmet”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bil, Bill, Billie, Billy, Gwil, Liam, Lyam, Pim, Vila, Vili, Viljo, Ville, Wil, Wilkie, Wilkin, Wilky, Willie, Willis, Willy, Wim, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Will Evans, the most popular boy in town, a founding member of the children’s society for the prevention of cruelty to cats in “The Kit-Kat Club”, and supporter of the clothing shop for dolls in “The Little Dunbars, and Their Charming Christmas Plans”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Will Watcombe, an old sailor whose insight into the local weather patterns ought to have been heeded, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Will Wentworth (sometimes called “Willie“), a friendly, level-headed Boston boy in “That Little Smith Girl” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Will Durant (1885-1981), American historian, philosopher, and writer.
– Will (William) Shakespeare (1564-1616), English poet, playwright, and actor.
– Will Stanton (1918-1996), American humorist and writer.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 