Prescott
August 14, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Old English place name, meaning “priest’s cottage”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Prescot, Prestcot, Prestcott.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Prescott Burney, a young man who, unfortunately, believes Dolly Lorton’s idle gossip, resulting in trouble for the Lorton family, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Richard
August 14, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “strong ruler” or “brave power”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Dickey, Dickie, Dickon, Dickson, Dicky, Dicun, Dix, Dixon, Rhisiart, Ric, Ricard, Ricardo, Rich, Richie, Rick, Rickey, Rickie, Ricky, Rico, Ritchie, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Richard, a cousin of the two Miss Steele’s, who stay with his family in their London home in Bartlett’s Buildings, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).
– Sir Richard Blewitt, a local magistrate in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Richard de Lindsay, one of Sir Peter and Lady Constance’s two sons, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Mr. Richard Lorton, whose failure to teach his youngest daughter to curb her chattering results in much trouble for the whole family, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Richard Mason (called “Dick“), Bertha Mason’s brother, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Richard Allen (1922-1993), pen name of Anglo-Canadian pulp novelist James Moffat, who also published under the pen names of “Etienne Aubin” and “Trudi Maxwell”.
– Richard Bach (b. 1936), American writer.
– Richard Cargoe (1911-1983), pen name of Cornish biographer, historian, lecturer, novelist, poet, and professor Robert Payne, who also used the pen names “Howard Horn”, “John Anthony Devon”, “Robert Young”, and “Valentin Tikhonov”.
– Richard Hugo (b. 1947), pen name of English author Jim Williams, who also publishes as “Alexander Mollin”.
– Richard Lovelace (1618-1657), English poet.
– Richard Matheson (1926-2013), American author and screenwriter.
– Richard Price (b. 1949), American novelist and screenwriter.
– Richard Pryor (1940-2005), American actor, comedian, critic, director, and writer.
– Richard Raine (1923-2006), pen name of English author Raymond Sawkins, who also wrote under the pen names “Colin Forbes”, “Harold English”, and “Jay Bernard”.
– Richard Russo (b. 1949), American author and screenwriter.
– Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), Irish playwright and poet.
– Richard Wilbur (b. 1921), American poet.
– Richard Wright (1908-1960), American writer and poet.
Sally
August 14, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternately spelled “Sallie”, diminutive of “Sarah“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sadie, Sal, Sallie, Sairey, Sairy, Sarey, Sari, Sary, Suri, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sally, a maid in the Huckabuck household, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Sally, one of the Lexington girls clamoring to partner with Rab at the Silsbee country dance in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
– Sally, a servant at Barton Park, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).
– Sally Snowe, one of Farmer Nicholas’ three lively, comely daughters, in Lorna Doone.
– Sally Ware, the friend who takes Dolly Lorton to task for her gossiping and rumor-mongering, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Charley
August 14, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Charlie“, a diminutive or feminine form of “Charles“, meaning “man”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Carla, Carlotta, Carola, Carolina, Caroline, Charlize, Charlotta, Karla, Karola, Karolina, Let, Lettie, Letty, Lotta, Lotte, Lottie, Lotty, Tot, Tottie, Totty, etc.
For boys: Carl, Carlos, Carroll, Charlie, Charles, Chas, Chaz, Chick, Chip, Chuck, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Charley, Red Milton’s amiable, impudent assistant at the newspaper, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Charley Aplin, a snobbish, bragging boy from a snobbish, bragging family, in “Esther Bodn”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Charley Freer, a member of Jim Lorton’s boating club, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Charley Kronborg, Thea’s second-oldest brother in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Charley Chase (1893-1940), American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter.
– Charley Rogers (1887-1956), English actor, director, and screenwriter.
– Charley Rosen (b. 1941), American author and coach.
– Charley Trujillo (b. 1949), Mexican-American editor, filmmaker, novelist, and publisher.
Doll
August 14, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Dolly“, a diminutive of “Dorothy” or “Dolores”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Dee, Dodie, Dolley, Dollie, Dolly, Dora, Dorit, Dory, Dot, Dottie, Dotty, Lola, Lollie, Lolly, Moll, Molly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Doll, the kitchen wench, in “A Brother to Dragons” (written in 1886, set in 1586), from A Brother to Dragons, and Other Old Time Tales (1888), by Amélie Rives.
– Family nickname for Dolly Lorton, the heedless, gossiping youngest sister of the Lorton family, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Family nickname for Lily Pearl, the little girl whose family life is recounted in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
Maudie
August 14, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Maud” / “Maude“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Malta, Mat, Mathilda, Matilda, Mattie, Matty, Maud, Maude, Tilda, Tilde, Tillie, Tilly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickname given to Maud Lorton, the soft-hearted middle sister of the Lorton family, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
Pierre
August 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
French version of “Peter“, from Greek, meaning “stone”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Boutros, Peadar, Pedro, Pejo, Petri, Petruccio, Petruchio, Petrus, Piero, Pierrot, Piers, Piet, Pieter, Pietro, Piotr, Peer, Per, Pere, Pero, Pyotr, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Pierre Baudouin, the art critic and lecturer whose attention makes all the difference in Esther’s life, in “Esther Bodn”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Monsieur Pierre Du Bois, Madame Duval’s friend from France, who falls in love with the wrong woman, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.
WRITERS:
– Pierre Barbet (1925-1995), one of several pen names used by French author Claude Avice.
– Pierre Loti (1850-1923), pen name of French novelist and naval officer Julien Viaud.
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”).
Ned
August 12, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Edward“, “Edmund”, “Edwin“, “Edgar”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ed, Edd, Eddi, Eddie, Eddy, Nedd, Neddie, Neddy, Ted, Tedd, Teddie, Teddy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ned Hale, Ruth Varnum’s fiancé (and later husband), whose romance fares far better than does Ethan’s, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).
– Ned Hamlyn, the friend and fellow boarder who helps Jim to set right the mess he has impulsively made of his situation, in “The Tragedy of the Unexpected”, from Nora Perry’s The Tragedy of the Unexpected and Other Stories (published in 1880, but set in the 1870s).
WRITERS:
– Ned Buntline (1821-1886), pen name of American journalist, publicist, publisher, and writer Edward Zane Carroll (E.Z.C.) Judson, Sr.
– Ned Calmer (1907-1986), American author and journalist.
– Ned Fairchild (b. 1929), pen name of American songwriter Nelda Fairchild.
– Ned Marin (1896-1955), American producer and screenwriter.
– Ned Miller (b. 1925), American singer and songwriter.
– Ned O’Gorman (1929-2014), American author, educator, and poet.
– Ned Rorem (b. 1923), American composer and diarist.
– Ned Sherrin (1931-2007), English author, broadcaster, and director.
– Ned Vizzini (1981-2013), American novelist.
– Ned (Edward) Ward (1667-1731), English publican and satirist.
– Ned Washington (1901-1976), American lyricist.
Sue
August 12, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Susan“, “Susanna”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sooki, Sookie, Sooky, Su, Suse, Susey, Susi, Susie, Susy, Sukey, Suki, Sukie, Suze, Suzey, Suzi, Suzie, Suzy, Zooey, Zooie, Zsazsa, Zsuzsa, Zsuzsi, Zsuzsu, Zu, Zuza, Zuzi, Zuzia, Zuzu, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sue Mayo, poor little Jessie Mayo’s little sister, one of the girls Doctor Tom tells the story of Sylvie to, in “The Story of Little Syl”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Sue Tucker, a friend of the Gray girls and Berry Joy, and sister of Maude Tucker, in A Little Country Girl (1885), by Susan Coolidge.
WRITERS:
– Sue Grafton (b. 1940), American crime novelist.
– Sue Townsend (1946-2014), English writer and humorist.
QUOTATIONS:
– From the popular ballad “Black Ey’d Susan, or Sweet William’s Farewell“, by John Gay, first published in 1730: “‘If to far India’s coast we sail, / Thy eyes are seen in diamonds bright, / Thy breath is Afric’s spicy gale, / Thy skin is ivory, so white. / Thus every beauteous object that I view, / Wakes in my soul some charm of lovely Sue.'”
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 