Katharine
November 24, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternately spelled “Katherine”, “Catherine” / “Catharine”, etc., from the Greek for “pure”. Also an alternate spelling for the German “Katharina”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cadi, Cady, Cait, Caitlin, Caitlyn, Caity, Caren, Carina, Casia, Cat, Catalina, Cate, Catey, Catharine, Catherine, Cathie, Cathleen, Cathrine, Cathryn, Cathy, Catie, Cato, Catrina, Catrine, Catriona, Caty, Catya, Ekaterina, Ina, Jekaterina, Kady, Kaia, Kaisa, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaity, Kaja, Kalena, Karen, Karin, Karina, Kasia, Kat, Kata, Katalin, Kate, Katenka, Katerina, Katey, Katharina, Katherine, Kathi, Kathie, Kathleen, Kathrine, Kathryn, Kathy, Kati, Katie, Katinka, Katja, Katka, Katri, Katrina, Katrine, Katy, Katya, Kay, Kaya, Kit, Kitti, Kittie, Kitty, Kylee, Kyleen, Nienke, Nina, Rina, Riona, Tina, Tineke, Trina, Trine, Yekaterina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Katharine Priest, a professional singer who hires Thea as a rehearsal accompanist in Chicago, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929), American author, editor, educator, lyricist, poet, and songwriter.
– Katharine Coman (1857-1915), American activist, economist, educator, and writer.
– Katharine Gordon (b. 1916), Scottish novelist.
– Katharine Tynan Hinkson (1861-1931), Irish novelist and poet.
– Katharine Susannah Prichard (1883-1969), Australian activist and author.
– Katharine Pyle (1863-1938), American artist, children’s book writer, and poet.
– Katharine Sergeant Angell White (1892-1977), American author and editor.
Hiram
November 24, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “exalted brother”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hi, High, Hirem, Huram, Hurem, Hy, Hyram, Hyrem.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Hiram Bowers, Madison Bowers’ father, a Boston choirmaster, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Hiram M. Chittenden (1858-1917), American historian.
– Hiram Alfred (H.A.) Cody (1872-1948), Canadian clergyman and novelist.
– Hiram Fuller (1814-1880), American educator and journalist.
Felipe
November 24, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Spanish or Portuguese form of “Philip” / “Phillip”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Felip, Felipinho, Filib, Filip, Filipe, Filippos, Filippus, Flip, Phil, Philip, Philippe, Philippos, Phillip, Pilib, Pip, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Felipe Ramas, one of Miguel’s flirtatious cousins, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Felipe Alfau (1902-1999), Spanish-American novelist.
– Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala (ca. 1535-ca. 1616), Peruvian chronicler.
– Felipe Sassone (1884-1959), Italian-Peruvian writer.
– Felipe Trigo (1864-1916), Spanish writer.
Silvo
November 24, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Finnish version of “Silvius” or “Sylvester”, or possibly a variation of “Silvio”, the Italian / Spanish / etc. version of “Silvius”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Silivi, Silvi, Silvijo, Silvio, Silviu, Silvius, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Silvo Ramas, one of Miguel’s flirtatious cousins, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
Miguel
November 23, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
The Spanish or Portuguese form of “Michael“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maikel, Micha, Micah, Michael, Michail, Michel, Mick, Mickey, Micky, Miguelito, Mika, Mikael, Mike, Mikel, Mikelo, Mikey, Mikhael, Mikhail, Mijo, Mikkel, Mikki, Misha, Miska, Mitch, Mitchell, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Miguel Ramas, Spanish Johnny’s friend, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899-1974), Guatemalan journalist, novelist, playwright, and poet-diplomat.
– Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet.
– Miguel Delibes (1920-2010), Spanish editor, journalist, and novelist.
– Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936), Spanish educator, essayist, novelist, philosopher, playwright, and poet.
– Miguel Hernandez (1910-1942), Spanish playwright and poet.
– Miguel Méndez (1930-2013), Mexican-American author.
– Miguel Mihura (1905-1977), Spanish playwright.
– Miguel Morayta (1907-2013), Spanish director and screenwriter.
– Miguel Piñero (1946-1988), Puerto Rican actor and playwright.
– Miguel Sánchez (1594-1674), Hispanic priest, theologian, and writer.
– Miguel Serrano (1917-2009), Chilean author, diplomat, explorer, and poet.
– Miguel Otero Silva (1908-1985), Venezuelan humorist, journalist, politician, and writer.
– Miguel Torga (1907-1995), pen name of Portuguese writer Adolfo Correia da Rocha.
Ole
November 23, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
The Danish or Norwegian form of “Olaf”, meaning “ancestor’s descendant”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Amhlaidh, Amhlaoibh, Aulay, Ola, Olaf, Olafur, Olavi, Olavo, Olev, Olle, Olli, Olof, Uolevi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ole, a jealous husband referenced in a story Thea tells, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
Madison
November 23, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
English last name, meaning “son of Maud“. So, given that, it’s a bit strange that people started using it for girls as well as boys.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Madi, Maddie, Maddison, Maddy, Madyson, Madisyn, etc.
For boys: Madeson, Maddeson, Maddesonne, Maddison, Maddyson, Madison, Madyson, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Madison Bowers, the best voice teacher in Chicago, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Madison Cawein (1865-1914), American poet.
– Madison Jones (b. 1925), American novelist.
Tanya
November 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Tatiana” or “Titania”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Taina, Tania, Tanja, Tatiana, Tatienne, Tatjana, Tiana, Tonia, Tonya, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Tanya Harsanyi, Andor Harsanyi’s young daughter, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
Oscar
November 15, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Possibly from Gaelic, meaning “deer lover”, or from Old English, meaning “divine spear”, or from Old Norse, meaning “spear god” or “spear of god”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Asgar, Asgeirr, Osgar, Oskar, Oskari, Osku, Ossie, Oszkar, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Oscar, Dr. Archie’s regular waiter at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Oscar Andersen, Irene’s late husband, who was killed in an explosion, in The Song of the Lark.
WRITERS:
– Oscar Fraley (1914-1994), American author and reporter.
– Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960), American librettist, lyricist, and producer.
– Oscar Hijuelos (1951-2013), Cuban-American novelist.
– Oscar Levy (1867-1946), German-Jewish physician and writer.
– Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951), American author, director, and producer.
– Oscar Millard (1908-1990), English author and screenwriter.
– Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Irish author, playwright, and poet.
Irene
November 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Usually pronounced “ie-REEN”, “ie-REE-nee”, or “ee-RE-ne”; from the Greek “Eirene”, meaning “peace”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Arina, Arine, Arisha, Eireen, Eirene, Ena, Ira, Irena, Irenka, Iria, Irina, Irine, Irja, Iryna, Rene, Renee, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Irene Andersen, who rents a room in the home she shares with her mother, Mrs. Lorch, to Thea Kronborg, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Irene Ibsen Bille (1901-1985), Norwegian novelist and playwright.
– Irene Hunt (1907-2001), American children’s book writer.
– Irène Némirovsky (1903-1942), Russian novelist.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 