Howard
November 6, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
An English last name, derived either from the Germanic “Hughard”, meaning “brave heart” or “strong mind”, or from Old Norse, meaning “high guardian” or “watchman”, or from Middle English, meaning “herder of ewes”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Howie. That’s pretty much it.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dr. Howard Archie, Thea’s old friend and confidante in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Howard Fast (1914-2003), American novelist and television writer who also wrote under the pen names “E.V. Cunningham” and “Walter Ericson”.
– Howard Glyndon (1839-1923), pen name of American columnist, journalist, and poet Laura Redden Searing.
– Howard Harris (1912-1986), American film and television writer.
– Howard Horn (1911-1983), pen name of Cornish biographer, historian, lecturer, novelist, poet, and professor Robert Payne, who also used the pen names “John Anthony Devon”, “Richard Cargoe”, “Robert Young”, and “Valentin Tikhonov”.
– Howard Hille Johnson (1846-1913), American activist, educator, and writer.
– Howard Lindsay (1889-1968), American actor, director, librettist, playwright, and producer.
– Howard Phillips (H.P.) Lovecraft (1890-1937), American author.
– Howard Pyle (1853-1911), American author and illustrator.
– Howard Zinn (1922-2010), American activist, author, historian, and playwright.
Constance
October 4, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Medieval version of “Constantia”, the feminine form of the Latin “Constantius”, meaning “constant” or “steadfast”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Connie, Constantia, Constanza, Constanze, Konstancja, Konstanze, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lady Constance, wife of Sir Peter de Lindsay in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Constance Garnett (1861-1946), English translator.
– Constance Gordon-Cumming (1837-1924), Scottish painter and travel writer.
– Constance McLaughlin Green (1897-1975), American historian.
– Constance Cary Harrison (1843-1920), American writer who also wrote under the pen names “Constance Cary”, “Constance C. Harrison”, “Mrs. Burton Harrison”, and “Refugitta”.
– Constance Heaven (1911-1995), English author who also wrote under the pen names “Constance Fecher” and “Christina Merlin”.
– Constance Holme (1880-1955), English writer and playwright.
– Constance Naden (1858-1889), English essayist, lecturer, poet, philosopher, and writer,
– Constance Reid (1918-2010), American author and biographer.
– Constance Lindsay Skinner (1877-1939), Canadian critic, editor, historian, and writer.
– Constance Fenimore Woolson (1840-1894), American novelist, poet, and short story writer.
Alfred
October 4, 2014 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Old English “Aelfraed”, meaning “elf-counsel”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aelfraed, Al, Alf, Alfie, Alfredo, Avery, Fred, Fredde, Freddie, Freddy, Fredo, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Alfred, one of the boys Robin plays with during his stay at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Alfred Andersch (1914-1980), German writer, publisher, and radio editor.
– Alfred Austin (1835-1913), English poet.
– Alfred Bester (1913-1987), American author and writer.
– Alfred de Musset (1810-1857), French dramatist, novelist, and poet.
– Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863), French playwright, poet, and novelist.
– Alfred Döblin (1878-1957), German doctor, essayist, and novelist.
– Alfred Hartmann (1814-1897), Swiss writer.
– Alfred Hayes (1911-1985), English novelist, poet, and screenwriter.
– Alfred Edward (A.E.) Housman (1859-1936), English poet and scholar.
– Alfred Jarry (1873-1907), French writer.
– Alfred Kazin (1915-1998), American critic and writer.
– Alfred Kerr (1867-1948), German-Jewish critic and essayist.
– Alfred Lansing (1921-1975), American journalist and writer.
– Alfred Henry Lewis (1855-1914), American editor, journalist, lawyer, novelist, and short story writer.
– Alfred Lichtenstein (1889-1914), German writer.
– Alfred Masson-Forestier (1852-1912), French writer.
– Alfred Neumann (1895-1952), German writer and translator.
– Alfred Noyes (1880-1958), English playwright, poet, and short story writer.
– Alfred Ollivant (1874-1927), English novelist.
– Alfred Perlès (1897-1990), Austrian writer.
– Alfred Reynolds (1907-1993), Anglo-Hungarian writer.
– Alfred Percy Sinnett (1840-1921), English author, journalist, and Theosophist.
– Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), English poet.
– Alfred Williams (1877-1930), English author and poet.
QUOTATIONS:
– From “Epistle to Earl Harcourt, on his wishing her to spell her name of Catherine with a K“, by an unknown poet (“F—-“), found in A Collection of Poems, Chiefly Manuscript, and from Living Authors (1823), edited by Joanna Baillie: “Alfred, who quell’d th’ unsurping Dane, / And burst, indignant, from his chain; / Who slaves redeemed, to reign o’er men, / Changing the faulchion for the pen, / And outlin’d, with a master’s hand, / Th’ immortal charter of the land; / Alfred, whom yet these realms obey”
Hubert
October 4, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright heart” or “bright mind”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hobart, Hubertus, Hubrecht, Uberto, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Brother Hubert, a monk at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Hubert Aquin (1929-1977), Canadian activist, essayist, filmmaker, and novelist.
– Hubert Howe Bancroft (1832-1918), American ethnologist and historian.
– Hubert Butler (1900-1991), Irish essayist.
– Hubert Crackanthorpe (1870-1896), English writer.
– Hubert Fichte (1935-1986), German novelist.
– Hubert Lampo (1920-2006), Flemish author.
– Hubert Harrison (1883-1927), West Indian-American activist, critic, educator, orator, and writer.
– Hubert Selby, Jr. (1928-2004), American writer.
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.
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.
Bertha
August 26, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright” or “famous”, possibly related to the name of a goddess of animals and weaving.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Berchta, Berhta, Berta, Berthe, Bertie, Bertille, Bertina, Birdie, Perchta, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bertha Antoinetta Mason, Mr. Rochester’s unfortunate wife in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Bertha Behrens (1850-1912), German novelist.
– Bertha Southey Brammall (1878-1957), Australian writer.
– Bertha Henry Buxton (1844-1881), English novelist and children’s book writer.
– Bertha M. Clay (1836-1884), pen name used by English author Charlotte M. Brame.
– Bertha Eckstein-Diener (1874-1948), Austrian historian, journalist, and writer who also wrote under the pen name “Helen Diner”.
– Bertha Frederich (1825-1882), German novelist who wrote under such pen names as “Georg Dannenberg” and “Golo Raimund”.
– Bertha Harris (1937-2005), American novelist.
– Bertha Damon (c. 1883-c. 1976), American author, editor, humorist, and lecturer.
– Bertha Harmer (1885-1934), Canadian educator, nurse, and writer.
– Bertha Runkle (1879-1958), American novelist and playwright.
– Bertha Muzzy Sinclair (1871-1940), American writer who wrote under the pen name “B.M. Bower”.
– Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914), Austrian novelist and pacifist.
Edwin
August 25, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Old English, meaning “rich friend”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Eadwine, Ed, Edd, Eddi, Eddie, Eddy, Edvin, Edwyn, Ned, Nedd, Neddie, Neddy, Ted, Tedd, Teddie, Teddy, Win, Winnie, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lord Edwin Vere, the young man Georgiana Reed nearly elopes with, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Edwin Abbott Abbott (1838-1926), English educator, novelist, and theologian.
– Edwin Balmer (1883-1959), American writer.
– Edwin Corle (1906-1956), American writer.
– Edwin Gilbert (1907-1976), German-American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter.
– Edwin DuBose Heyward (1885-1940), American dramatist, novelist, and poet, who wrote under the pen name “DuBose Heyward”.
– Edwin Honig (1919-2011), American poet, playwright, and translator.
– Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1923-2005), American writer.
– Edwin Markham (1852-1940), American poet.
– Edwin Morgan (1920-2010), Scottish poet and translator.
– Edwin Muir (1887-1959), Scottish author.
– Edwin O’Connor (1918-1968), American broadcaster, journalist, and novelist.
– Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935), American poet.
– Edwin Rolfe (1909-1954), pen name of American poet and writer Solomon Fishman.
– Edwin Way Teale (1899-1980), American naturalist, photographer, and writer.
Bill
August 18, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
Like “Will“, a diminutive of “William“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bil, Billie, Billy, Gwil, Liam, Lyam, Pim, Vila, Vili, Viljo, Ville, Wil, Wilkie, Wilkin, Wilky, Will, Willie, Willis, Willy, Wim, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bill, a little boy who lives on the Street with the Pages and the Wilsons and the rest in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– Bill, the bartender at Schwitter’s road-house in K.
– Bill Blacksmith, a friend of John Fry’s in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Bill (William) Creighton (b. 1838), Jethro’s favorite older brother, “a big, silent man who was considered ‘peculiar’ in the neighborhood”, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Bill Dadds, a workman on John Ridd’s farm, in Lorna Doone.
– Bill Oliver, wealthy owner of a needle-factory and iron-foundry near Morton, whose daughter, Rosamond, is in love with St. John Rivers, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Bill James (b. 1929), pen name of Welsh novelist James Tucker, who also publishes as “David Craig” and “Judith Jones”.
QUOTATIONS:
– The 1902 song “(Won’t You Come Home) Bill Bailey“, written by Hughie Cannon (1877-1912) remains a standard among Dixieland and classic jazz performers: “Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey, won’t you come home? / I’ve moaned the whole night long / I’ll do the cookin’, honey, I’ll pay the rent / I know I done you wrong.”
– In Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s 1927 musical Show Boat, torch singer Julie (working in a nightclub circa 1903), sings “Bill“, a lament for the less-than-perfect man who stole her heart: “But along came Bill / Who’s not the type at all / You’d meet him on the street / And never notice him / His form and face / His manly grace / Are not the kind that you / Would find in a statue / And I can’t explain / It’s surely not his brain / That makes me thrill / I love him because he’s wonderful / Because he’s just my Bill / . . . He’s just my Bill, an ordinary man / He hasn’t got a thing that I can brag about / . . . I love him, because he’s, I don’t know, / Because he’s just my Bill.”
– From the 1945 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical Carousel, set in 1873 or so, erstwhile barker Billy Bigelow sings a “Soliloquy” about his anticipated son: “Bill, my boy Bill, / I will see that he’s named after me, I will. / My boy Bill! He’ll be tall / And as tough as a tree, will Bill! / Like a tree he’ll grow / With his head held high / And his feet planted firm on the ground. / And you won’t see nobody dare to try / To boss him or toss him around.”
– In the “Wedding Bell Blues” (1969), written by Laura Nyro, the singer laments about a lover who won’t marry her: “Bill, I love you so, I always will / . . . I was on your side, Bill, when you were losing / I’d never scheme or lie, Bill, there’s been no fooling / But kisses and love won’t carry me ’til you marry me, Bill.”
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 