Matthew
October 4, 2014 § 6 Comments
ORIGIN:
English form of the Greek “Matthaios”, from the Hebrew “Mattityahu”, meaning “gift of the Lord”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mads, Maitiu, Makaio, Mat, Mateo, Mateu, Matfey, Mathew, Mathias, Mathieu, Mathis, Matias, Matko, Mats, Matt, Matteo, Matteus, Mattheus, Matthias, Matthieu, Matthijs, Matti, Mattie, Matty, Matvei, Motya, Thijs, Tias, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Brother Matthew, one of the monks at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Matthew Benjamin Creighton (called “Matt“), Ellen’s husband and Jethro’s father, a well-respected farmer of integrity and compassion, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Matthew Colvin Creighton (1850-1852), one of the three young Creighton boys who died of “paralysis” the year Jethro was born, in Across Five Aprils.
WRITERS:
– Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), English poet and critic.
– Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Welsh minister and religious writer.
– Matthew Josephson (1899-1978), American author and journalist.
– Matthew Lewis (1775-1818), English dramatist and novelist.
– Matthew Wren (1629-1672), English politician and writer.
Josiah
September 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “Jehovah supports”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Iosias, Jos, Josias, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Josiah Bowden, the local parson in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Josiah Quincy, the “best young lawyer in Boston”, who defends Johnny against charges of theft and fraud, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Josiah Conder (1789-1855), English author and editor.
– Josiah Gregg (1806-1850), American author, explorer, merchant, and naturalist.
– Josiah Henson (1789-1883), American-Canadian abolitionist, author, and minister.
– Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881), American novelist and poet who sometimes used the pen name “Timothy Titcomb”.
– Josiah Quincy III (1772-1864), American historian and politician.
– Josiah Priest (1788-1851), American pseudohistorical and pseudoscientific writer.
– Josiah Strong (1847-1916), American author, clergyman, editor, and organizer.
– Josiah Tucker (1713-1799), Welsh churchman, economist, and political writer.
Eph
August 29, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Ephraim“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Efraim, Efrain, Efrayim, Efrem, Ephraim, Evron, Jevrem, Yefrem, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Eph (Ephraim) Merridew, Sibyl’s brother, a headstrong young man allied with the Rebel troops, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Ephraim
August 29, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew name “Efrayim”, meaning “very fruitful”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Efraim, Efrain, Efrayim, Efrem, Eph, Evron, Jevrem, Yefrem, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ephraim, one of the Boston children roused to their chores at the start of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
– Ephraim Lapham, the aging silversmith Johnny is apprenticed to in Johnny Tremain.
– Dr. Ephraim Merridew, Sibyl’s father, prevented from joining the Rebel cause by business in Barbados, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Ephraim Merridew (called “Eph“), Sibyl’s brother, a headstrong young man allied with the Rebel troops, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from A Flock of Girls and Boys.
Sibyl
August 29, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Sybil”, from the Greek “Sibylla”, meaning “prophetess”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cybill, Sibella, Sibilla, Sibylla, Sibylle, Sybella, Sybil, Sybila, Sybilla, Sybille, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sibyl Merridew, a pretty little Rebel in Tory’s clothing, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Jeffrey
August 29, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Geoffrey“, from the French version of a Germanic name, meaning “peaceful land” or “peace of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fredo, Geffrey, Geoff, Geoffrey, Geoffroi, Geoffroy, Gjord, Godfrey, Godfried, Goffredo, Goraidh, Gottfrid, Gottfried, Jef, Jeff, Jefferson, Jeffery, Jeffries, Jeffry, Jep, Jepson, Seafra, Sieffre, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mr. Jeffrey Merridew, a staunch Tory who hopes to keep his niece from following in the footsteps of her Rebel father and brother, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Jeffrey Jacob (J.J.) Abrams (b. 1966), American actor, composer, director, producer, and screenwriter.
– Jeffrey Eugenides (b. 1960), American novelist and short story writer.
– Jeffrey Farnol (1878-1952), English author.
Frances
August 27, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
Feminine form of “Francis“, from the Germanic / Old French word for “free”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Chica, Cissie, Cissy, Fan, Fannie, Fanny, Fran, Franca, Franci, Francie, Francka, Franka, Frankie, Franky, Frannie, Franny, Franzi, Paca, Paquita, Sissie, Sissy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Frances Wentworth (called “Fan” or “Fanny“, Will’s conceited, snobbish cousin in “That Little Smith Girl” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), English author and playwright.
– Frances (Fanny) Burney (1752-1840), English diarist, novelist, and playwright.
– Frances Cornford (1886-1960), English poet.
– Frances FitzGerald (b. 1940), American historian and journalist.
– Frances Scott (“Scottie”) Fitzgerald (1921-1986), American journalist and writer.
– Frances Marion (1888-1973), American author, journalist, and screenwriter.
– Frances Osborne (b. 1969), English biographer and novelist.
– Frances Eleanor Trollope (1835-1913), English novelist.
– Frances Milton Trollope (1779-1863), English novelist and writer.
– Frances Vane, Viscountess Vane (c.1715-1788), English memoirist and socialite.
Anthony
August 22, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
English version of the Roman last name “Antonius”, meaning unknown. It has been sometimes linked to “anthos”, meaning flower, but that’s Greek, so probably not the original meaning.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Akoni, Anakoni, Andon, Andony, Antal, Antanas, Ante, Anto, Antoine, Anton, Antonello, Antoni, Antonie, Antonij, Antonije, Antonio, Antonis, Antonius, Antono, Antony, Antoon, Doncho, Teun, Teunis, Theun, Theunis, Ton, Tone, Tonci, Toni, Tonino, Tonio, Tonis, Tono, Tony, Toon, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Anthony Butter (called “Tony“), the gardener at Amhurste Hall, who narrates “A Brother to Dragons” (written in 1886, set in 1586), and is made fun of by Humfrey Lemon and Bered Turnip for his envy of their large broods, in “The Farrier Lass o’ Piping Pebworth” (written in 1887, set circa 1600), from A Brother to Dragons, and Other Old Time Tales (1888), by Amélie Rives.
– Anthony Styles, the shoemaker who passes Sibyl’s message on, in “Sibyl’s Slipper”, a story of the American Revolutionary War, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Anthony Armstrong (1897-1976), Anglo-Canadian writer, dramatist, and essayist.
– Anthony Bailey (b. 1933), English writer and art historian.
– Anthony Browne (b. 1946), English children’s book writer and illustrator.
– Anthony Burgess (1917-1993), English writer and composer.
– Anthony Gilbert (1899-1973), one of the pen names of English novelist Lucy Beatrice Malleson.
– Anthony Horowitz (b. 1955), English novelist and screenwriter.
– Anthony Powell (1905-2000), English novelist.
– Anthony Trollope (1815-1882), English novelist.
Poll
August 13, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Polly“, a variant of “Molly“, which is a diminutive of “Mary“. Sometimes used as a diminutive of “Pauline“, “Paulette”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Moll, Mollie, Molly, Paula, Pol, Pola, Pollie, Polly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Family nickname for Polly Branghton, the youngest child of Madame Duval’s (and Evelina’s) cousins, the crude, ill-mannered Branghton clan, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 