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).
Some Formerly-Popular Baby Names for Girls
January 20, 2015 § Leave a comment
Here is an article about some names that were once top of the list in popularity for baby girls, but have since gone nearly extinct. What do you think? Is it time to resurrect some of these old-fashioned names? (Note: If you’re looking for good names for characters, remember that the young adults of any particular decade would be likely to have a popular baby name of ~20 years earlier. So, say, an Ethel born in the 1890s would be a “new woman” of the WWI years, or even a “flapper” of the 1920s!)
Bertha (popular in the 1880s)
Betty (popular throughout the 1930s)
Doris (popular in the 1930s)
Dorothy (popular in the 1920s)
Edna (popular from the 1880s through to the 1920s)
Ethel (popular in the 1890s through the early 1900s)
Florence (popular from the 1880s-1930s)
Gladys (popular around the 1890s-1910s)
Ida (popular in the 1880s)
Mildred (popular in the 1910s-1920s)
Minnie (popular in the late 1800s)
Tammy (popular in the 1960s)
Baby-Naming Trends of the Past
January 8, 2015 § Leave a comment
What’s that they say?
“Everything old is new again.”
“There is nothing new under the sun.”
“History repeats itself.”
“What goes around, comes around.”
It all seems so appropriate for the subject of naming trends. We even have an early 19th century preference for “K” names to thank for making “Katherine” (and it’s nickname, “Katie” / “Katy“) more common than “Catherine“!
Click through to the article for more baby-naming trends that aren’t as modern as we might think!
Dudley
January 6, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
An Old English last name, meaning “from Dudda’s meadow”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
None that I can think of.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lord Dudley, the evil Duke Wulf’s fat son, in the fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle.
WRITERS:
– Dudley Carew (1903-1981), English critic, journalist, poet, and writer.
– Dudley Costello (1803-1865), Anglo-Irish journalist, novelist, and soldier.
– Dudley Doust (1930-2008), American author and journalist.
– Dudley Fitts (1903-1968), American critic, educator, poet, and translator.
– Dudley Leavitt (1772-1851), American editor and publisher.
– Dudley Nichols (1895-1960), American screenwriter.
– Dudley Randall (1914-2000), American poet and publisher.
– Dudley Pope (1925-1997), English author.
Nikos
December 18, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
A shortened version of the Greek “Nikolaos”, meaning “victory of the people”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cai, Caj, Claes, Claus, Col, Colas, Cole, Colet, Colin, Collin, Kai, Kaj, Kay, Klaas, Klaes, Klas, Klaus, Kolya, Miklos, Mikolas, Miksa, Mykola, Neacel, Nels, Nic, Niccolo, Nichol, Nicholas, Nichols, Nick, Nickie, Nickolas, Nicky, Nico, Nicol, Nicola, Nicolas, Nicolaas, Nicolaos, Nicolau, Nicolaus, Nicolo, Nicos, Niek, Niels, Nigul, Nik, Nika, Nikko, Niklas, Niklaus, Niko, Nikola, Nikolai, Nikolaj, Nikolajs, Nikolaos, Nikolas, Nikolaus, Nikolay, Nikoloz, Niksa, Nikusha, Nils, Nixon, Nykko, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nikos, the great wizard who tried his best to teach Schmendrick everything he knew, in the fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle.
WRITERS:
– Nikos Engonopoulos (1907-1985), Greek painter and poet.
– Nikos Gatsos (1911-1992), Greek lyricist, poet, and translator.
– Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas (1906-1994), Greek academic, artist, and writer.
– Nikos Karouzos (1926-1990), Greek poet.
– Nikos Kavvadias (1910-1975), Greek poet and writer.
– Nikos Nicolaides (1884-1956), Greek painter and writer.
– Nikos Nikolaidis (1939-2007), Greek director, producer, and writer.
– Nikos Tsiforos (1916-1970), Greek director and screenwriter.
Otto
December 3, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of the Germanic “Audo” or “Odo”, meaning “wealth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Audo, Eudes, Oddo, Ode, Odi, Odilon, Odo, Otello, Otho, Othello, Ottone, Ottorino, Rino, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Otto Ottenburg, Fred’s brewing magnate father, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865-1910), German writer.
– Otto Binder (1911-1974), American author and comic book writer.
– Otto Ludwig (1813-1865), German critic, dramatist, and novelist.
– Otto Manninen (1872-1950), Finnish poet, translator, and writer.
– Otto Rank (1884-1939), Austrian educator, psychoanalyst, and writer.
– Otto Scott (1918-2006), American author, biographer, and journalist.
– Otto Steiger (1909-2005), Swiss broadcaster and writer.
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.
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.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 