Mac
May 12, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Mack”, a shortened version of various Gaelic or Celtic surnames beginning with “Mc-” or “Mac-“, meaning “son of”, or used as a generic term for “man”. Also sometimes used as a diminutive for “Magnus”, “Malcolm”, “Max“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mack, Mackie, Macky, Max, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mac Lewis, a fellow Elk in Drouet’s lodge who does “heavy dramatics” and offers to help put together the lodge’s theatrical fundraiser, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Georgine
May 11, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
French feminine variation of “George“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Geena, Gena, Georgeanne, Georgette, Georgia, Georgiana, Georgie, Georgina, Gigi, Gina, Giorgia, Giorgina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Georgine Spencer, a friend of Jessica Hurstwood, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Jessica
May 11, 2015 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
Probably invented by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice; possibly inspired by the Hebrew “Ischa” / “Yiskah” / “Jescha”, meaning “to behold” or “Jehovah is watching”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gessica, Iekika, Ischa, Janet, Jean, Jescha, Jess, Jessa, Jesslin, Jessalyn, Jesse, Jessenia, Jessica, Jessika, Jessy, Teasag, Yesika, Yessica, Yiskah, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jessica Hurstwood, George Hurstwood’s frivolous and self-centered daughter, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Eddie
May 11, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Edward“, “Edgar”, “Edwin“, “Edmund”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ed, Edd, Eddi, Eddy, Ned, Nedd, Neddie, Neddy, Ted, Tedd, Teddie, Teddy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Eddie Fahrway, a friend of the junior George Hurstwood, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Eddie Harris, a beau of one of the other shop girls at the Chicago shoe factory where Carrie first finds employment, in Sister Carrie.
Sven
May 10, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the Old Norse “Sveinn”, meaning “boy”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Soini, Svein, Sveinn, Svend, Svens
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sven Hanson, Carrie’s solemn and austere brother-in-law in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Sven Agessen (b. 1140-50-death unknown), Danish historian and writer.
– Sven Delblanc (1931-1992), Swedish academic, author, professor, and translator.
– Sven G. Eliassen (b. 1944), Norwegian historian.
– Sven Elvestad (1884-1934), Norwegian author and journalist, who published mystery stories under the pen name “Stein Riverton”.
– Sven Hassel (or Hazel; 1917-2012), pen name of Danish novelist Børge Willy Redsted Pedersen.
– Sven Hedin (1865-1962), Swedish explorer, geographer, illustrator, photographer, topographer, and travel writer.
– Sven Lidman (1882-1960), Swedish dramatist, novelist, poet, and preacher.
– Sven Lidman (1921-2011), Swedish lexicographer and writer.
– Sven Lindqvist (b. 1932), Swedish author and historian.
– Sven Methling, Jr. (1918-2005), Danish director and screenwriter.
– Sven Moren (1871-1938), Norwegian activist, author, children’s book writer, farmer, playwright, poet, and politician.
– Sven Rosén (1708-1750), Swedish theologian and writer.
– Sven Stolpe (1905-1996), Swedish critic, journalist, scholar, translator, and writer.
Minnie
May 10, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Wilhelmina” (the feminine form of “Wilhelm”, which is the Germanic version of “William“), or a Scottish variation of “Mary“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mame, Mamie, Manon, Mari, Mary, Mayme, Mien, Mimi, Mina, Minette, Minna, Minni, Minnith, Mira, Miri, Miriam, Mitzi, Vilma, Wilhelmina, Willa, Willie, Willy, Wilma, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Minnie Hanson, Carrie’s married older sister in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Cad
May 10, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Caddie”, “Carrie”, “Caroline”, “Catrin”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cady, Caddie, Caddy, Calleigh, Callie, Cari, Carla, Carrie, Carry, Kallie, Kari, Karla, Karrie, Karry, Keri, Kerri, Kerrie, Kerry, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Cad (Caroline) Meeber (usually called “Carrie“; “Miss Madenda” in her acting career), the titular self-interested dreamer of Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
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).
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.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 