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.
Elise
August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Elizabeth“, meaning “oath of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Eilis, Eilish, Eli, Eliisa, Elisa, Eliza, Ella, Elle, Elli, Ellie, Elly, Elsa, Else, Elsje, Elyse, Elze, Ilsa, Ilse, Lies, Liesa, Liese, Liesel, Liesel, Liesje, Liisa, Liisi, Liisu, Lili, Lilli, Lilly, Lily, Lis, Lisa, Lise, Lisette, Liza, Lys, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Elise Wheatley, the daughter of the kind woman Polly meets at the shop, in “Polly’s Valentine” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Washo
August 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the Great Basin Native American Washo language, meaning “people from around here”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Wa She Shu, Waashiw, Washoe.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Washo, Wallula’s father, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
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.
Metalka
August 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
As far as I can discover, the word “metalka” is possibly Slovenian or Serbian, meaning “metallic”. But the way I have seen it used in literature thus far, it seems to be a made-up name intended to sound Native American, specifically Walla Walla – Sahaptin. Which is all to say . . . I don’t know what it means or where it came from. Origin unknown.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
I don’t know.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Metalka, Wallula’s older sister in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Lula
August 28, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of names like “Louise” / “Louisa“, names that begin with “Lu-“, such as “Lucy” or “Lucretia“, or that contain “-ula”, such as “Wallula” or “Ursula”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Loola, Lou, Louella, Lulu, Oola, Ula, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lula, the nickname Molly Elliston gives to her friend Wallula, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Wallula
August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of “Walla Walla”, from the Walla Walla branch of the Sahaptin language, meaning “many waters”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lula, Luula, Ula, Uula, Wallawalla, Wallie, Wally, Waluula.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Wallula (sometimes called “Lula“), a local Native American girl Molly Elliston befriends, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Bert
August 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Albert”, “Herbert“, “Robert“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bertie, Bertil, Berto, Berty, Burt, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bert Purcel, Royal’s kid brother, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Bert Rice, Anna Kronborg’s beau, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Bert Schierbeek (1918-1996), Dutch writer.
– Bert Stiles (1920-1944), American short story writer.
– Bert Sugar (1937-2012), American sports historian and writer.
– Bert Leston Taylor (1866-1921), American author, columnist, humorist, and poet.
Royal
August 27, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From the English word “royal”, meaning, well, “royal” . . . Ultimately derived from Latin via French, meaning “kingly”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Leroi, Leroy, Rollo, Roy, Royale, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Royal Purcel, the “egg-boy” with a hidden artistic talent, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 