Norman
May 12, 2015 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
An old Germanic name meaning “Northman”, referring to the Vikings who settled Normandy.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Norm, Normand, Normant, Normie
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dr. Norman McNeill Hale, a well-known figure in Chicago, who buys one of the boxes for the play Drouet’s Elks lodge puts on as a fundraiser, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Norman Bridwell (1928-2014), American children’s book writer and cartoonist.
– Norman Corwin (1910-2011), American essayist, producer, professor, screenwriter, and writer.
– Norman Cousins (1915-1990), American activist, author, editor, journalist, and professor.
– Norman Davies (b. 1939), Anglo-Polish historian and writer.
– Norman Douglas (1868-1952), Scottish-Austrian author and travel writer.
– Norman Finkelstein (b. 1953), American activist, author, professor, and scholar.
– Norman Finkelstein (b. 1954), American critic and poet.
– Norman Rowland Gale (1862-1942), English poet, reviewer, and story-teller.
– Norman Hunter (1899-1995), English children’s book writer.
– Norman Lear (b. 1922), American activist, producer, and screenwriter.
– Norman Lewis (1908-2003), English author and journalist.
– Norman Lewis (1912-2006), American author, etymologist, grammarian, and lexicographer.
– Norman Lindsay (1879-1969), Australian artist, author, cartoonist, and writer.
– Norman Maclean (1902-1990), American author and scholar.
– Norman Mailer (1923-2007), American activist, actor, essayist, filmmaker, journalist, novelist, and playwright.
– Norman Whitfield (1940-2008), American producer and songwriter.
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!
Colin
January 6, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Anglicized version of the Celtic “Cailean” or “Coilean”, or a diminutive of “Nicholas“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cailan, Cailean, Cailin, Calan, Calum, Coilean, Col, Colan, Cole, Coley, Collin, Collins, Colombe, Colombo, Colombano, Colson, Columbanus, Colyn, Kolman, Koloman, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Prince Colin, one of Princess Alison Jocelyn’s three brothers, in the fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle.
WRITERS:
– Colin Campbell (1859-1928), Scottish actor, director, and screenwriter.
– Colin Dann (b. 1943), English author.
– Colin Dexter (b. 1930), English author.
– Colin Douglas (b. 1945), pen name of Scottish novelist Colin Thomas Currie.
– Colin Fletcher (1922-2007), Welsh outdoorsman and writer.
– Colin Forbes (1923-2006), pen name of English author Raymond Sawkins, who also wrote under the pen names “Harold English”, “Jay Bernard”, and “Richard Raine”.
– Colin Greenland (b. 1954), English author.
– Colin Harvey (1960-2011), English author and editor.
– Colin Henry Hazlewood (1823-1875), English playwright.
– Colin Higgins (1941-1988), Australian-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.
– Colin Kapp (1928-2007), English author.
– Colin MacInnes (1914-1976), English journalist and novelist.
– Colin Mackay (1951-2003), Scottish novelist and poet.
– Colin McDougal (1917-1984), Canadian author.
– Colin McEvedy (1930-2005), English author, historian, and scholar.
– Colin Morton (b. 1948), Canadian poet.
– Colin Thiele (1920-2006), Australian author and educator.
– Colin Turbayne (1916-2006), Australian philosopher and writer.
– Colin Ward (1924-2010), English activist and writer.
– Colin Watson (1920-1983), English author.
– Colin White (1951-2008), English historian.
– Colin Wilson (1931-2013), English philosopher and writer.
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.
Lily
November 15, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the lily flower, a symbol of purity. Sometimes used as a diminutive of “Lillian” or “Elizabeth“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lil, Lili, Lillie, Lilly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lily Fisher, Thea’s rival in Moonstone, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Lily Hiles, the amiable and generous proprietor of Newton’s only restaurant, in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Lily Pearl (sometimes also known as “Lily Moore” and “Lily Shaine”, and called “D” or “Doll” by her uncles), the young girl whose family life is recounted in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Lily L. Allen (1867-1952), Irish author and missionary.
– Lily Braun (1865-1916), German activist and author.
– Lily Brett (b. 1946), German-Australian essayist, novelist, and poet.
– Lily Brown (b. 1981), American poet.
– Lily Dougall (1858-1923) Canadian activist and author.
– Lily Goddard (1916-2002), Austrian author and designer.
– Lily Koppel (b. 1981), American novelist and nonfiction author.
– Lily Ross Taylor (1886-1969), American academic and author.
– Lily Tuck (b. 1938), American novelist and short story writer.
Alison
October 4, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Medieval French diminutive of “Aalis” (“Alice“).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ali, Alli, Allie, Allison, Alyson, Ally, Allyson, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Alison de Lindsay, Sir Peter and Lady Constance’s daughter, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Princess Alison Jocelyn, the damsel in distress who needs a hero, in the fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle.
WRITERS:
– Alison Baker (b. 1953), American short story writer.
– Alison Cockburn (1712-1794), Scottish poet, socialite, and wit (also known as Alison Rutherford or Alicia Cockburn).
– Alison Brackenbury (b. 1953), English poet.
– Alison Des Forges (1942-2009), American activist and historian.
– Alison Fell (b. 1944), Scottish novelist and poet.
– Alison Lester (b. 1952), Australian author and illustrator.
– Alison Lurie (b. 1926), American academic and novelist.
– Alison Plowden (1931-2007), English biographer and historian.
– Alison Uttley (1884-1976), English author.
– Alison Weir (b. 1951), English author, biographer, and historian.
Paul
October 3, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
Latin, from the Roman family name “Paulus”, meaning “small” or “humble”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Boulus, Bulus, Pablo, Pal, Pali, Palle, Paol, Paolo, Paulie, Paulo, Paulos, Paulus, Pauwel, Pasha, Pavel, Pavlo, Pavlos, Pavo, Pavol, Pawel, Pol, Poul, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Paul, a new boy at Lily’s school, “imported from Switzerland”, who “soon becomes the Charles Boyer of the fourth grade”, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
– Brother Paul, one of the monks at St. Mark’s, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
WRITERS:
– Paul Bowles (1910-1999), American author, composer, and translator.
– Paul Cain (1902-1966), pen name of American author and screenwriter George Caryl Sims.
– Paul Goodman (1911-1972), American intellectual, novelist, philosopher, playwright, poet, psychotherapist, and social critic.
– Paul Jennings (1918-1989), British humorist and writer.
– Paul Jennings (b. 1943), Australian children’s book writer.
– Paul Jordan-Smith (1885-1971), American editor, minister, scholar, and writer.
– Paul Kenyon (b. 1947), pen name of American fantasy, science fiction, and Western author Robert E. Vardeman, who has also published under the pen names “Cliff Garnett”, “Daniel Moran”, “F.J. Hale”, “Edward S. Hudson”, “Jackson Lowry”, “Karl Lassiter”, and “Victor Appleton”.
– Paul Ledd (b. 1951), one of the many pen names of American mystery and Western author Robert J. Randisi, who also publishes as “Cole Weston”, “Joseph Meek”, “Joshua Randall”, “Lew Baines”, “Robert Lake” “Spenser Fortune”, “Tom Cutter”, and “W.B. Longley”, among other pseudonyms.
– Paul Smith (1920-1997), Irish playwright and writer.
– Paul Girard Smith (1894-1968), American screenwriter.
– Paul Verlaine (1844-1896), French poet.
– Paul Zindel (1936-2003), American educator, novelist, and playwright.
Alan
September 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Celtic or Breton, possibly meaning “handsome” or “harmony”, or “little rock”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ailin, Al, Alain, Alayne, Alen, Allan, Allen, Alleyn, Allyn, Alun, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Alan-at-Gate, the gruff gatekeeper at Sir Peter’s castle, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Lord Alan Brandir, Lorna’s dashing young Scottish cousin, who attempts to rescue her, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Alan Krescott, who is, with his twin brother John, included in the “irregular” kids at Lily’s school, due to their having been born prematurely and continuing to be undersized, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
WRITERS:
– Alan Bradley (b. 1938), Canadian writer.
– Alan Burns (1929-2014), English author.
– Alan Dean Forster (b. 1946), American writer.
– Alan Hunter (1922-2005), English author.
– Alan Jay Lerner (1918-1986), American librettist and lyricist.
– Alan Marshall (1902-1984), Australian story teller and writer.
– Alan Paton (1903-1988), South African activist and author.
– Alan Sillitoe (1928-2010), English writer.
– Alan Wade (1916-2013), pen name of American author Jack Vance, who also published under the pen names Ellery Queen, Jay Kavanse, John van See, and Peter Held.
Hugh
September 13, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
German, meaning “heart”, “mind”, or “spirit”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hewie, Hudde, Huey, Hughes, Hughie, Hugo, Huw, Shug, Ugo, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sir Hugh Fitzhugh, Sir Peter’s cousin and neighbor, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Baron Hugh de Whichehalse, a local magistrate and one of those nobleman whose means do not live up to their gentility, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Hugh Cook (1956-2008), English author.
– Hugh Haliburton (1846-1922), pen name of Scottish author, editor, and poet James Logie Robertson.
– Hugh Kingsmill (1889-1949), English journalist and writer.
– Hugh Lofting (1886-1947), English author and engineer.
– Hugh MacLennan (1907-1990), Canadian author and educator.
– Hugh Marlowe (b. 1929), pen name used by English author Harry Patterson, who also published under the pen names “Jack Higgins”, “James Graham”, and “Martin Fallon”.
– Hugh Walpole (1884-1941), English novelist.
– Hugh Walters (1910-1993), English author.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 