Jasper
September 15, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
From Persian, meaning “treasurer”, or referring to the gemstone.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cas, Caspar, Casper, Gaspar, Gaspard, Gaspare, Gasparo, Gaszi, Jas, Jaspar, Jesper, Kaspar, Kasper, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jasper Flight, a prospector for Dr. Archie’s company, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Jasper Kebby, a local yeoman whose farm neighbors Ridd’s and Snowe’s, though is far less prosperous than either, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Charlie
September 15, 2014 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Charley“, 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, Charles, Charley, Chas, Chaz, Chick, Chip, Chuck, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Charlie (Charleworth) Doone, who tries to compete with Carver for Lorna’s hand, though she despises them both for their violence and cruelty, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Charlie (Charles) Drouet, the traveling salesman who first offers Carrie a way out of her poverty, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Charleworth
September 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Possible variation of “Charlesworth”, an English place name meaning “jagged or jaw-like enclosure”, or “Charlton”, an English place name meaning “Charles’ town”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Chalesworth, Charlie, Charles, Charley, Charleston, Charlesworth, Charlton, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Charleworth Doone (called “Charlie“), who tries to compete with Carver for Lorna’s hand, though she despises them both for their violence and cruelty, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Jerry
September 14, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Gerald”, “Jeremiah“, “Jeremy“, “Jerome”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gerrie, Gerry, Jarmo, Jer, Jere, Jeri, Jeroen, Jerold, Jerri, Jerrie, Jorma, Reme, Remy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickname for Jeremy Stickles (sometimes called “Jeremiah” as well), the Court Messenger who, after being sent to bring John Ridd back to London, befriends the Ridd family and aids in the fight against the Doones, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Jeremiah
September 14, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “God has raised high”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hieremias, Ieremias, Jarmo, Jer, Jere, Jeremias, Jeremie, Jeremy, Jerrie, Jerry, Jorma, Reme, Remy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickname for Jeremy Stickles (sometimes called “Jerry” as well), the Court Messenger who, after being sent to bring John Ridd back to London, befriends the Ridd family and aids in the fight against the Doones, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Jeremiah Burrows (c. 1600-1646), English preacher and religious writer.
– Jeremiah Curtin (1835-1906), American folklorist and translator.
Jeremy
September 14, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Variation of “Jeremiah“, meaning “God has raised high”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Jarmo, Jer, Jere, Jeremiah, Jeremie, Jerrie, Jerry, Jorma, Reme, Remy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jeremy Stickles (sometimes called “Jerry” or “Jeremiah“), the Court Messenger who, after being sent to bring John Ridd back to London, befriends the Ridd family and aids in the fight against the Doones, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), English philosopher, social reformer, and writer.
– Jeremy Lane (1893-1963), American writer.
Marwood
September 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
One of those “last names as first names” that were once a quite popular way for a mother’s maiden name to be passed on to her sons, “Marwood” is possibly from Old French, meaning “evil eye”, or it could be simply an English place name, meaning “boundary wood”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Malregard, Malreward, Merode, Merwood, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Marwood de Whichehalse, Baron Hugh de Whichehalse’s son, who tries to woo Annie Ridd, but keeps bad company in the form of Charlie Doone and his clan, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Alan
September 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Celtic or Breton, possibly meaning “handsome” or “harmony”, or “little rock”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ailin, Al, Alain, Alayne, Alen, Allan, Allen, Alleyn, Allyn, Alun, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Alan-at-Gate, the gruff gatekeeper at Sir Peter’s castle, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Lord Alan Brandir, Lorna’s dashing young Scottish cousin, who attempts to rescue her, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Alan Krescott, who is, with his twin brother John, included in the “irregular” kids at Lily’s school, due to their having been born prematurely and continuing to be undersized, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Alan Bradley (b. 1938), Canadian writer.
– Alan Burns (1929-2014), English author.
– Alan Dean Forster (b. 1946), American writer.
– Alan Hunter (1922-2005), English author.
– Alan Jay Lerner (1918-1986), American librettist and lyricist.
– Alan Marshall (1902-1984), Australian story teller and writer.
– Alan Paton (1903-1988), South African activist and author.
– Alan Sillitoe (1928-2010), English writer.
– Alan Wade (1916-2013), pen name of American author Jack Vance, who also published under the pen names Ellery Queen, Jay Kavanse, John van See, and Peter Held.
Si
September 13, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Silas“, “Simon“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Sie, Siem, Sim, Sy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Si (Simon) Carfax, Gwenny’s father, a Cornish miner lured into Essex to work Reuben Huckabuck’s secret mine, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Simon
September 13, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Greek version of the Hebrew “Shim’on”, meaning “he has heard”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Jimeno, Shimel, Shimon, Si, Sim, Siem, Siemen, Simen, Simeon, Simo, Sy, Symeon, Symon, Szymon, Ximeno, Ximun, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Simon Carfax (sometimes called “Si“), Gwenny’s father, a Cornish miner lured into Essex to work Reuben Huckabuck’s secret mine, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Simon Evans (1895-1940), Welsh broadcaster and writer.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 