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.
Barry
August 7, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Anglicized version of the Irish “Bairre”, ultimately meaning “fair-haired”, or “Berach”, meaning “sharp”; or from Welsh, meaning “son of Harry“; or possibly from the French place name “Berri”; or a diminutive of names like “Barney“, “Barrett”, “Bernard“, “Beruch”, “Finbar”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bairrfhionn, Barrfind, Bairre, Barney, Barra, Barrie, Bary, Baz, Bazza, Bearach, Berach, Bernard, Berri, Berry, Beruch, Finbar, Finbarr, Finnbar, Finnbarr, Fionnbarra, Fionnbharr, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Barry, the name of more than one of the boys Lily dates, who perhaps not-so-coincidentally often have names which rhyme with her long-absent father, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
Gary
August 7, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From an English last name, which comes from a Norman first name, which was a diminutive version of Germanic names beginning with “Ger-“, meaning “spear” or “spear carrier”. Sometimes used as a diminutive of “Gerald” (in which case, usually pronounced like “Jerry“, instead of with a hard G), or to Anglicize names like “Garibaldi”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gari, Garry, Gaz, Gerald, Geri, Gerrold, Jerrie, Jerry, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Gary, the name of more than one of the boys Lily dates, who perhaps not-so-coincidentally often have names which rhyme with her long-absent father, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
Trudy
August 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Gertrude“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Geltrude, Geretrudis, Gerta, Gertha, Gerthe, Gerti, Gertie, Gertraud, Gertrud, Gertruda, Gertrude, Gertrudes, Gertrudis, Gerty, Gurda, Gurde, Gurt, Kerttu, Tru, Truda, Trude, Trudi, Trudie, True, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Trudy Leffer, Nina’s librarian mother, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Trudy Dittmar (b. 1944), American essayist and nature writer.
– Trudy Larkin Förster (c.1935-2005), American novelist.
Bonny
August 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Bonnie”, from the Scottish word, meaning “pretty”, derived from the French word for “good”. Also a diminutive of names that start with “Bon-“, such as “Bonita”, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bon, Bona, Bonne, Bonni, Bonnibel, Bonnibelle, Bonnie, Bonita, Buena, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bonny, Lily’s beautiful and beloved pet cocker spaniel, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Bonny Hicks (1968-1997), Singaporean model and writer.
Sandra
August 4, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Alexandra” / “Alessandra”, the feminine version of “Alexander“; popularized by George Meredith in his novel Emilia in England (1864; republished in 1887 as Sandra Belloni).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Alastriona, Ale, Alejandra, Aleksandra, Aleksandrina, Alessa, Alessandra, Alexandra, Alexia, Alexis, Ali, Alix, Alley, Alli, Allie, Ally, Andra, Lesya, Ola, Oleksandra, Ondra, Sandi, Sandie, Sandy, Sandrina, Sandrine, Sasha, Saundra, Shandra, Shondra, Shura, Sondra, Szandra, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sandra, a schoolmate of Lily’s, who is afraid of Lily’s pet cocker spaniel, Bonny, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
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”.
Josef
August 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
German, Scandinavian, or Czech variation of “Joseph“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Beppe, Giuseppe, Jo, Joe, Joep, Joey, Jojo, Joop, Joos, Jos, José, Joseph, Josephus, Josip, Osip, Pepe, Pepito, Peppe, Peppi, Peppino, Pino, Seph, Sepp, Sjef, Youssef, Zef, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Josef Shaine, Lily’s grandfather, who married Etka to “share her interests”, not to gain a subservient housewife, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
Berta
August 2, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of “Bertha“; or a diminutive form of names like “Alberta”, “Roberta“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Alberta, Albertina, Albertine, Auberta, Berchta, Berdi, Berdie, Berdy, Berdina, Berhta, Berit, Bert, Bertha, Berthe, Berti, Bertie, Bertille, Bertina, Berty, Birdi, Birdie, Birdy, Burti, Burtie, Burty, Elberta, Elberte, Elbertina, Elbertine, Elbertyna, Hrothbeorhta, Hrothberta, Hrothbertina, Hrothnerta, Perda, Perde, Perdi, Perdie, Perdy, Pirda, Pirde, Pirdi, Pirdie, Pirdy, Purda, Purde, Purdi, Purdie, Purdy, Perchta, Perta, Perte, Perti, Pertie, Perty, Pirta, Pirte, Pirti, Pirtie, Pirty, Purta, Purte, Purti, Purtie, Purty, Roberta, Robertia, Robertina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Great Aunt Berta, Lily’s elderly relative and Becky’s sister, who is aware their nephew died of heart failure months ago, but has kept the news from her sister, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Berta Behrens (1850-1912), German novelist who published under the pen name “Wilhelmine (W.) Heimburg”.
– Berta Bojetu Boeta (1946-1997), Slovene actress, poet, and writer.
– Berta Golob (b. 1932), Slovene librarian, poet, teacher, and writer.
– Berta Hader (1890-1976), American children’s book author and illustrator.
– Berta Ruck (1878-1978), British memoirist and novelist.
– Berta Zuckerkandl (1864-1935), Austrian critic, journalist, and writer.
Etka
August 2, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Unknown; possibly a Russian variation of “Edna” or “Esther“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
See Edna, I suppose. Perhaps Etta or Ettie?
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Etka (or Esther or Edna) Kroll Shaine — “Esther in Hebrew, Edna in English, and Etka in Russian” — Lily’s increasingly-senile grandmother in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 