Herbert
August 22, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright army”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bert, Bertie, Berto, Berty, Herb, Herberto, Herbie, Herby, Heribert, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Herbert Crane, one of the snobbish Jessica Hurstwood’s schoolmates, scorned for not being rich, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Herbert Kennedy, who hopes to make Ruth forget about David Langston, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
WRITERS:
– Herbert Agar (1897-1980), American editor, journalist, and historian.
– Herbert S. Scott (1931-2006), American editor and poet.
– Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), English philosopher, scientist, and writer.
– Herbert George (H.G.) Wells (1866-1946), English writer.
Carrie
August 7, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Caroline“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cady, Caddie, Caddy, Calleigh, Callie, Cari, Carla, Carry, Kallie, Kari, Karla, Karrie, Karry, Keri, Kerri, Kerrie, Kerry, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Carrie, a young guest of Mrs. Warburton’s, rather inclined to be frivolous, in “Pansies” from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
– Carrie (Caroline) Meeber (also known as “Cad” or “Miss Madenda”), the titular self-interested dreamer of Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Maggie
August 6, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Margaret“, from Greek via Latin, meaning “pearl”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maarit, Madge, Mae, Maisie, Maisy, Maggi, Maggy, Mamie, Maret, Margaux, Marge, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Margy, Marji, May, Meg, Megeen, Megan, Megen, Meggie, Meggy, Midge, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy, Peigi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Maggie, a maidservant in the Hurstwood household in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Maggie Bradford, member of the Mayflower Club in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
– Maggie Evans, a local Moonstone girl, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Maggie Rosenfeld, Johnny’s mother, who works as a washerwoman for the ladies who live on the Street, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– Maggie Schwitter, Mr. Schwitter’s insane wife, whose continued existence bars her husband and Tillie from being able to wed and find happiness in each other, in K.
Bob
August 2, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN: Diminutive of “Robert“, meaning “bright flame”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES: Bobbie, Bobby, Dob, Dobbie, Dobby, Rob, Robb, Robbe, Robbi, Robbie, Robby, Robi, Robin, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bob, the largest of the unfriendly group of “Kirke’s Lambs” John Ridd runs into, after risking his life to save Tom Faggus from the danger of the Monmouth Rebellion, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Bob Ames, Mrs. Vance’s idealistic cousin, who inspires Carrie to greater things, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Bob (Robert) Gilbreth (b. 1920), the eleventh of the dozen Gilbreth children whose upbringing is related in Cheaper By the Dozen (1948) and Belles on Their Toes (1950), written by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.
– Bob Martingale, subject of one of Rawdon’s sporty stories in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Bob (Robin) Snell, the little schoolboy whose fight with young John Ridd is momentarily disrupted by news of the elder Ridd’s death, in Lorna Doone.
– Bob Suckling, one of Becky’s conquests in Vanity Fair.
Martha
July 30, 2014 § 6 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Aramaic for “lady” or “mistress”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Madge, Maddie, Maddy, Marita, Mart, Marta, Marte, Marty, Mat, Mattie, Matty, Pat (from Mat, I guess), Patsy, Pattie, Patty, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Martha, the chambermaid hired to work at the orphanage, in “Polly’s Valentine” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Martha Abbott, a servant Jane once overheard Bessie gossiping with on the subject of presentiments, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
– Martha Crawley, née MacTavish, the Rev. Bute Crawley’s wife in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Miss Martha Crawley, one of the Rev. Bute Crawley’s daughters in Vanity Fair.
– Martha G., mentioned in the Child’s Guide pamphlet Mr. Brocklehurst gives to Jane at their first meeting, urging her to “read it with prayer, especially that part containing ‘An account of the awfully sudden death of Martha G—, a naughty child addicted to falsehood and deceit'”, in Jane Eyre.
– Martha Gilbreth (b. 1909), the fourth of the dozen Gilbreth children whose upbringing is related in Cheaper By the Dozen (1948) and Belles on Their Toes (1950), written by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.
– Martha Griswold, one of snobbish Jessica Hurstwood’s schoolmates, who is scorned for her poor family, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Martha Hilton, the kitchen maid Gen. Benning Wentworth married, mentioned in “That Little Smith Girl” from A Flock of Girls and Boys.
– Martha Jocelyn, Angela’s older sister, whose disillusionment has made her slightly bitter, in “An April Fool”, from A Flock of Girls and Boys.
– Martha Langston, David’s dear departed mother, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
– Martha Pierce, the aunt Zeena Frome stays with while in Bettsbridge to see the doctor, in Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (written in 1911, but set in the 1890s or first few years of the 1900s).
– Martha Sharpe, a friend of Miss Anne Steele’s, with whom she shared many confidences for her sister Lucy to eavesdrop on, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).
WRITERS:
– Martha Finley (1828-1909), American author and educator who sometimes wrote under the pen name “Martha Farquharson”.
– Martha Gellhorn (1908-1998), American journalist, novelist, and travel writer.
Frank
July 30, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Francis“, from the Late Latin word “Franciscus” (meaning “Frenchman”), from the Germanic / Old French word for “free”, or referring to the Germanic tribe settled in Europe known as the Franks.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Chica, Chico, Ferenc, Feri, Fran, Franca, Francesco, Francis, Francisco, Franciscus, Franco, Francois, Franka, Frankie, Franky, Franny, Frans, Franz, Franzi, Paca, Paco, Pancho, Paquita, Paquito, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Frank, Ida Standish’s uncle, on whose farm she, the Kennedy family, and Miss Sarah Parsons will work all summer, in order to “pick berries, and get strong”, in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
– Frank Churchill, Mr. Weston’s son, adopted by his wealthy aunt and uncle; a very friendly and engaging young man who is looked on as a possible match for Emma, in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
– Frank Crawley, one of the Rev. Bute Crawley’s sons, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Frank Gilbreth (b. 1911), the fifth child, and oldest boy, of the dozen Gilbreth children whose upbringing is related in Cheaper By the Dozen (1948) and Belles on Their Toes (1950), written by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.
– Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr. (b. 1868), the industrial engineer and efficiency expert whose family life is related in Cheaper By the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes.
– Frank A. Hale, manager of the Standard Theatre in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Dr. Frank Harmon, whose generosity once saved Ruth’s soul, and “who concludes to leave the city”, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
– Frank Lyman, Lucretia Harper’s fiancée, in “Pansies” from A Garland for Girls.
– Frank Smithson, an “arch-schemer and swindler” who flees to Rio, in “That Little Smith Girl” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Frank L. Taintor, a friend of Hurstwood’s, in Sister Carrie.
– Frank Tuchek, the blond Ukrainian boy Lily has a crush on at school, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. (1911-2001), American author and memoirist.
– Frank Loesser (1910-1969), American composer and lyricist.
George
July 28, 2014 § 12 Comments
ORIGIN:
English version of the Greek “Georgios”, meaning “farmer”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gino, Giorgio, Giorgino, Geordie, Georg, Georges, Georgios, Georgi, Georgie, Georgy, Jordi, Jordy, Jorge, Jorgen, Jorgie, Jorgy, Jori, Jory, Jurgen, Yorgos, Yuri, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– George Boulter, “Lord Levant’s son”, married to one of the Mango daughters and one of the “nobs” Mr. Osborne prides himself on being connected to through his daughter’s marriage, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– George Evans, one of the traveling salesmen who appear briefly in the pages of Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Lord George Gaunt, Lord Steyne’s second son, on whom the family curse of insanity unhappily devolves, in Vanity Fair.
– Master George Gaunt, Lord Gaunt’s young son, in Vanity Fair.
– George Gustavus, Lord Steyne, who is responsible for Becky’s highest heights and lowest lows, in Vanity Fair.
– George Herrick, Virginia’s father, the overseer at Caryston Hall, in Virginia of Virginia, written by Amélie Rives in 1888.
– George (G.W.) Hurstwood, the illustrious manager of Fitzgerald and Moy’s saloon, whose fall from grace counters Carrie’s rising star, Sister Carrie.
– George Hurstwood, Jr., his self-centered son, in Sister Carrie.
– George Knightley, the youngest of John and Isabella’s three boys, in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
– Mr. George Knightley, “a sensible man”, “a very old and intimate friend of the family”, and “the elder brother of Isabella’s husband”, who takes it upon himself to be the sole voice of criticism in Emma‘s life.
– George Lawrence, whose son is wounded at Shiloh / Pittsburgh Landing, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Sir George Lynn, a friend of Mr. Rochester, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
– George Mac Turk, Lord Bajazet’s eldest son, who claims “that if he had his will when he came to the title, he would do what the sultans do, and clear the estate by chopping off all his younger brothers’ heads at once”, in Vanity Fair.
– George Osborne, the dashing cad Amelia falls for in Vanity Fair.
– George Osborne (called “Georgy“), the son of George and Amelia and the means of somewhat reconciling his mother with his father’s family, in Vanity Fair.
– George Otway, a member of the Otway clan, guests at Mr. and Mrs. Weston’s ball, in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
– George Page, Sidney’s father, whose death leaves Anna, Sid, and Aunt Harriet without a reliable income, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– George Rivington, friend of the Gray girls and Berry Joy, brother of Tom Rivington, in A Little Country Girl (1885), by Susan Coolidge.
– Sir George Tufto, Lieutenant-General in the army in Vanity Fair.
– George Wickham, the likable rascal in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (written in 1797, published in 1813).
– George Winslow, Anna Winslow’s brother, whose letters from abroad Anna reads for the amusement of the working-class girls at the Union, in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
WRITERS:
– George B. Seitz (1888-1944), American actor, director, playwright, and screenwriter.
– George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish author, critic, and playwright.
– George Eliot (1819-1880), pen name of English novelist and journalist Mary Ann Evans.
– George Orwell (1903-1950), English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic.
– George Sand (1804-1876), pen name of French novelist and memoirist Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin.
– George Caryl Sims (1902-1966), American author and screenwriter who wrote under the pen name “Paul Cain”.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 