Saul
September 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew “Sha’ul”, meaning “asked for” or “prayed for”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Saoul, Sauli, Saulius, Shaul, Shuah, Sol, Suah.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Saul, one of Johnny’s acquaintances, an apprentice at one of the shops on the wharf, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Saul Akkemay (b. 1964), Belgian columnist, novelist, and publicist, who publishes under the pen name “Panbello”.
– Saul Alinksy (1909-1972), American activist and writer.
– Saul Ascher (1767-1822), German bookseller, translator, and writer.
– Saul Bellow (1915-2005), American novelist, playwright, and short story writer.
– Saul David (b. 1966), Welsh author, broadcaster, historian, and professor.
– Saul Elkins (1907-2001), American director, producer, and screenwriter.
– Saul Friedländer (b. 1932), Israeli historian and professor.
– Saul Friedman (1929-2010), American educator and journalist.
– Saul Landau (1936-2013), American author, commentator, filmmaker, and journalist.
– Saul Alves Martins (1917-2009), Brazilian anthropologist, folklorist, and poet.
– Saul K. Padover (1905-1981), Austrian-American academic and historian.
Priscilla
September 9, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Prisca”, from a Roman family name meaning “ancient” or “of ancient birth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cece, Cila, Cili, Cilka, Cilla, Cille, Pricila, Pricilla, Pris, Prisca, Priscila, Priska, Priskilla, Prissie, Prissy, Scilla, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Sile, Sille, Sisi, Sissie, Sissy, Zilla, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Priscilla Lapham (called “Cilla“), Mrs. Lapham’s devoted, reliable, practical teenaged daughter, who remains a true friend to Johnny through all the turmoil of Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Priscilla (1735-1812), pen name of English activist, reformer, and writer Ann Jebb.
– Priscilla Buckley (1921-2012), American author and editor.
– Priscilla Galloway (b. 1930), Canadian children’s book author.
– Priscilla Napier (1908-1998), English author and biographer.
– Priscilla Uppal (b. 1974), Canadian novelist, playwright, and poet.
– Priscilla Wakefield (1751-1832), English activist, children’s book author, and writer.
Israel
August 31, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “ruling with the Lord” or “wrestling with the Lord” (from “Yisra’el”, meaning “God contended”).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Is, Iser, Israhel, Isreal, Isreel, Issur, Issy, Iz, Izrael, Izreel, Izzy, Sroel, Yisrael, Yizreel, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Israel Thomas, a friend and neighbor of the Creighton’s, who sometimes brings their mail over from Hidalgo, and who joins in the watch over the Creighton farm when it’s threatened by Guy Wortman and his gang, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Israel the Grammarian (c.895-c.965), Breton (?) philosopher, poet, scholar, theologian, and writer.
– Israel Belkind (1861-1929), Russian activist, author, educator, historian, and writer.
– Israel Davidson (1870-1939), American publisher and writer.
– Israel Friedlander (1876-1920), Polish activist, educator, rabbi, scholar, and translator.
– Israel Dov Frumkin (1850-1914), Russian-Palestinian author and journalist.
– Israel Gollancz (1863-1930), English editor, professor, scholar, and translator.
– Israel Gutman (1923-2013), Polish-Israeli historian.
– Israel Horovitz (b. 1939), American actor, director, and playwright.
– Israel ben Moses Najara (c.1555-c.1625), Ottoman poet, preacher, and rabbi.
– Israel Orenstein (1831-after 1888?), Russian novelist.
– Israel Pinkas (b. 1935), Israeli poet.
– Israel Regardie (1907-1985), Anglo-American occultist and writer.
– Israel Segal (1944-2007), Israeli author, commentator, and journalist.
– Israel Joshua Singer (1893-1944), American novelist.
– Israel Zangwill (1864-1926), English activist and author.
Ross
August 27, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From a Scottish and English place name, meaning “headland” or “promontory”; or from the Norman French word for “red”; or from a Germanic word meaning “horse”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Roos, Roose, Ros, Rosce, Rose, Rosse, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ross Milton (called “Red“), “the red-haired editor of the county newspaper”, who takes Jethro under his wing, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Ross Clark (b. 1953), Australian poet.
– Ross Copperman (b. 1982), American singer and songwriter.
– Ross Fitzgerald (b. 1944), Australian academic, historian, and novelist.
– Ross Hassig (b. 1945), American anthropologist and author.
– Ross King (b. 1962), Canadian novelist and writer.
– Ross Leckie (b. 1947), Scottish novelist.
– Ross Lockridge, Jr. (1914-1948), American novelist.
– Ross Macdonald (1915-1983), pen name of Canadian-American crime author Kenneth Millar.
– Ross Parmenter (1912-1999), Canadian author, critic, and editor.
– Ross Rocklynne (1913-1988), pen name of American science fiction author Ross Louis Rocklin.
– Ross Russell (1909-2000), American author and producer.
– Ross Thomas (1926-1995), American crime author who also published under the pen name “Oliver Bleeck”.
– Ross Yockey (1943-2008), American author, journalist, producer, and writer.
Taylor
August 26, 2015 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Originally an Old English occupational name, meaning (unsurprisingly) “tailor”, from the French “tailleur”, meaning “cutter of cloth”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Tai, Tailler, Tailleur, Tailour, Tay, Tayler, Taylour, Taylur, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Middle name of William Taylor 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).
WRITERS:
– Taylor Branch (b. 1947), American author and historian.
– Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985), pen name of Anglo-American novelist Janet Taylor Caldwell, who also published as “J. Miriam Reback”, “Marcus Holland”, and “Max Reiner”.
– Taylor Mali (b. 1965), American humorist, poet, teacher, and voice actor.
– Taylor Mead (1924-2013), American actor, performer, and poet.
Ward
August 20, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From an Old English last name, meaning “guard” or “watchman”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Varde, Warda, Warde, Warden, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Middle name of Thomas Ward Creighton (b. 1843), Jethro’s older brother, who, at just 18 years of age, runs off to join the Union Army, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
WRITERS:
– Ward Churchill (b. 1947), American activist, author, and professor.
– Ward Costello (1919-2009), American actor, composer, and lyricist.
– Ward Hawkins (1912-1990), American author, producer, and screenwriter.
– Ward Moore (1903-1978), pen name of American novelist and short story writer Joseph Ward Moore.
– Ward Morehouse (1895-1966), American author, columnist, critic, and playwright.
– Ward Ruyslinck (1929-2014), pen name of Belgian novelist, poet, translator, and writer Raymond De Belser.
Sheila
August 10, 2015 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternative / Anglicized spelling of “Sile”, an Irish variation of “Cecilia” / “Cecily” / “Cicely“; or an alternate spelling of “Sheela” / “Shila”, a Hindu / Sanskrit name meaning “good character” or “good conduct”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cacilia, Cacelie, Caecilia, Cecilia, Cecilie, Cecilija, Cecille, Cecily, Cecylia, Cicely, Cicily, Cila, Cila, Cili, Cilka, Cilla, Cille, Cissi, Cissie, Cissy, Shayla, Shaylah, Shelagh, Sheelagh, Sheelah, Sheilah, Shelia, Shyla, Shylah, Sila, Sile, Sileas, Silja, Silje, Silke, Silla, Sille, Sissi, Sissie, Sissy, Tsetsiliya, Zila, Zile, Zilla, Zillah, Zille, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sheila Kriszinski, Lily’s new best friend in high school, who counts as somewhat “bad company”, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Sheila Baxter (b. 1933), Canadian activist and author.
– Sheila Bhatia (1916-2008), Indian playwright and poet.
– Sheila Burnford (1918-1984), Scottish-Canadian author and traveler.
– Sheila Callaghan (b. 1973), American playwright and screenwriter.
– Sheila Connolly (b. 1950), American mystery author.
– Sheila Cussons (1922-2004), South African painter, poet, and writer.
– Sheila Finch (b. 1935), Anglo-American science fiction author.
– Sheila Fischman (b. 1937), Canadian columnist, editor, and translator.
– Sheila Fitzpatrick (b. 1941), Australian-American author, historian, and professor.
– Sheila Meiring Fugard (b. 1932), South African novelist, playwright, poet, and short story writer.
– Sheila Gordon (1927-2013), South African novelist.
– Sheila Heti (b. 1976), Canadian author and editor.
– Sheila Holland (1937-2000), English romance author who also published under the pen names “Charlotte Lamb”, “Laura Hardy”, “Sheila Coates”, “Sheila Lancaster”, and “Victoria Wolf”.
– Sheila Kaye-Smith (1887-1956), English novelist.
– Sheila K. McCullagh (1920-2014), English author and children’s book writer.
– Sheila E. Murphy (b. 1951), American poet.
– Sheila Nicholls (b. 1970), English singer and songwriter.
– Sheila Nickerson (b. 1942), American poet and writer.
– Sheila Quigley (b. 1947), English suspense and thriller author.
– Sheila Rowbotham (b. 1943), English activist and writer.
– Sheila Stewart (1937-2014), Scottish author, singer, and storyteller.
– Sheila Stuart (1892-1974), pen name of Scottish author and children’s book writer Gladys May Baker.
– Sheila Walsh (1928-2009), English romance author who also published under the pen name “Sophie Leyton”.
– Sheila Watson (1909-1998), Canadian critic, novelist, and teacher.
Ira
August 9, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “watchful”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
I . . . got nothin’.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ira Tourin, Marty’s younger brother, “born a month prematurely, and . . . permanently trying to catch up”, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Ira Aldridge (1807-1867), Anglo-American actor and playwright.
– Ira Berkow (b. 1940), American columnist, reporter, and writer.
– Ira Berkowitz (b. 1939), American crime author.
– Ira Berlin (b. 1941), American author, historian, and professor.
– Ira Cohen (1935-2011), American filmmaker, photographer, poet, and publisher.
– Ira Eisenstein (1906-2001), American author, rabbi, and theologian.
– Ira Lunan Ferguson (1904-1992), American author, essayist, and psychologist.
– Ira Joe Fisher (b. 1947), American broadcaster, educator, and poet.
– Ira Gitler (b. 1928), American historian and journalist.
– Ira Gershwin (1896-1983), American lyricist.
– Ira D. Gruber (b. 1934), American author, bibliographer, and historian.
– Ira B. Harkey, Jr. (1918-2006), American author, editor, professor, and publisher.
– Ira Ishida (b. 1960), Japanese actor, commentator, novelist, and short story writer.
– Ira M. Lapidus (b. 1937), American author, historian, and professor.
– Ira Levin (1929-2007), American dramatist, novelist, and songwriter.
– Ira Lewis (1932-2015), American actor, playwright, and writer.
– Ira Louvin (1924-1965), pen name of American musician, singer, and songwriter Ira Lonnie Loudermilk.
– Ira Sadoff (b. 1945), American critic, novelist, poet, and short story writer.
– Ira Schuster (1889-1945), American songwriter who also published under the pen name “John Siras”.
– Ira Stanphil (1914-1993), American songwriter.
– Ira Wallach (1913-1995), American novelist and screenwriter.
– Ira Wolfert (1908-1997), American reporter and writer.
Marty
August 9, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Martie”, a diminutive form of “Martin”; or, for girls, diminutive of names like “Martha“, “Martina”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
For girls: Ina, Maartje, Maata, Maddi, Maddie, Maddy, Madge, Marfa, Mart, Marta, Marte, Martha, Marthe, Marti, Martie, Martina, Martine, Martita, Martta, Martti, Martuska, Martyna, Mat, Matt, Matti, Mattie, Matty, Maud, Maude, Maudie, Maudy, Midge, Morta, Tina, Tineke, etc.
For boys: Maarten, Mairtin, Marcin, Mars, Mart, Marten, Marti, Martie, Martijn, Martim, Martin, Martinho, Martino, Martinus, Marton, Martti, Martyn, Martynas, Mattin, Matxin, Merten, Morten, Mortin, Mortie, Morty, Tijn, Tin, Tine, Tinek, Tino, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Marty Tourin, Lily’s more likable friend in her new neighborhood, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Marty Feldman (1934-1982), English actor, comedian, and writer.
– Marty Peretz (b. 1938), American editor, journalist, and publisher.
– Marty Robbins (1925-1982), American musician, singer, songwriter, and race-car driver.
– Marty Wilde (b. 1939), English singer and songwriter.
Igor
August 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Russian variation of “Ingvar”, from the Old Norse “hero” name “Yngvarr”, meaning “warrior of the god Yngvi-Freyr“; sometimes used as a variation of “George“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ingvar, Ingvarr, Yngvar, Yngvarr, Yngvi, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Igor, the (possibly false) name of more than one of Uncle Len’s mysterious friends, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Igor Akimushkin (1929-1993), Russian writer and zoologist.
– Igor M. Diakonoff (1915-1999), Russian historian, linguist, scholar, and translator.
– Igor Goldkind (b. 1960), American lecturer, poet, science fiction author, and writer.
– Igor Guberman (b. 1936), Russian-Israeli poet and writer.
– Igor Marojević (b. 1968), Serbian novelist, playwright, short story writer, and translator.
– Igor Severyanin (1887-1941), Russian poet.
– Igor Škamperle (b. 1962), Slovenian essayist, novelist, sociologist, and translator.
– Igor Štiks (b. 1977), Croatian author, editor, reporter, and scholar.
– Igor Talankin (1927-2010), Russian director and screenwriter.
– Igor Torkar (1913-2004), pen name of Slovenian poet, playwright, and writer Boris Fakin.
– Igor Yefimov (b. 1937), Russian-American philosopher, publisher, and writer who also publishes as “Andrei Moscovit”.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 