Clara
August 6, 2014 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternate version of “Clare”, from the Latin name “Clarus”, meaning “clear” or “bright”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Chiara, Claire, Clare, Claretta, Claribel, Clarice, Clarinda, Clarissa, Clarette, Kiara, Kiera, Klare, Klara, Klarissa, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Clara, the “honest and quiet; but heavy, mindless, and unimpressible” German woman Mr. Rochester took as a mistress following Céline Varens’ betrayal, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
– Clara, Rosamond Carey’s mother, who sends her to stay with three maiden cousins, in “Little Button-Rose”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
– Clara Carey, wife of Dr. Carey, David Langston’s dearest friend, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
– Clara, Ella Carver’s cousin, for whose baby she buys pretty little things made by Almira Miller, in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls.
– Clara Harrington, a girl who unknowingly assisted in the trick on Tilly Drake, in “An April Fool”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Clara Jeffreys (née Partridge), one of Augusta Elton’s friends from Bath that she cites as an example of how married women always give up their pursuit of music, in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
Clement
August 2, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
English version of the Latin “Clemens” or “Clementius”, meaning “merciful” or “gentle”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Clem, Clemens, Clemente, Klement, Klemens, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Clement William Sheepshanks, Earl of Southdown, brother to Lady Emily and Lady Jane Sheepshanks in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Sir Clement Willoughby, the insistent rouge (perhaps the original “NiceGuyTM”) who forces his attentions on Miss Anville, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.
AUTHORS:
– Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), American theologian and poet.
Charles
July 28, 2014 § 10 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the German “Karl”, meaning “man”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Carl, Carlos, Carroll, Charlie, Charley, Chas, Chaz, Chick, Chip, Chuck, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Charles Bingley, the amiable young gentleman whose pending residence at Netherfield Park kicks off the events of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (written in 1797, published in 1813).
– Charles Stuart “Barebones” Crawley was a twig on the Crawley family tree in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Charles H. Drouet (sometimes called “Charlie“), the traveling salesman who first offers Carrie a way out of her poverty, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Charles Lambert, who encourages his children in the lovely tradition of inviting someone in need to join them for Thanksgiving dinner every year, in “The Thanksgiving Guest”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Lord Charles Radnor, Lady Elizabeth’s brother, who leaves her the care of his son, Ernie, to be raised with her daughters, in “Nurse Crumpet Tells the Story” (written in 1887, set circa 1630s-1669), from A Brother to Dragons, and Other Old Time Tales (1888), by Amélie Rives.
– Mr. Charles Raggles, the former butler to Miss Crawley who later becomes Rawdon and Becky’s landlord, much to his disadvantage, in Vanity Fair.
– Charles Raggles is also the name of Mr. Raggles’ son, sent to boarding school on the strength of his father’s presumed prosperity as landlord, in Vanity Fair.
WRITERS:
– Charles Bukowski (1920-1944), German-American novelist, poet, and short story writer.
– Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English writer and social critic.
– Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), English writer, poet, mathematician, logician, deacon, and photographer who wrote under the pen name “Lewis Carroll”.
– Charles Frazier (b. 1950), American historical novelist.
– Charles Hamilton (1876-1961), English writer.
– Charles R. Jackson (1903-1968), American author.
– Charles Johnson (1679-1748), English playwright and tavern keeper.
– Charles Lamb (1775-1834), English essayist and writer.
– Charles Morris (1833-1922), American journalist, novelist, and historical author.
– Charles Reade (1814-1884), English novelist and dramatist.
– Charles Shaw (1900-1955), Australian journalist and novelist.
– Charles Burr Todd (1849-1928), American historian.
– Charles Williams (1886-1945), English critic, novelist, playwright, poet, and theologian.
– Charles Williams (1909-1975), American crime writer.
– Charles Norris (C.N.) Williamson (1859-1920), British author who often collaborated with his wife, Alice Muriel Williamson.
Caroline
July 28, 2014 § 9 Comments
ORIGIN:
The French feminine version of the Latin “Carolus”. Like “Charlotte,” a feminine version of “Charles.”
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Cady, Caddie, Caddy, Calleigh, Callie, Cari, Carla, Carrie, Carry, Carlyn, Carol, Carola, Carolina, Carolyn, Carrie, Caryl, Charlize, Coraline, Kaja, Kaia, Kallie, Karla, Karolina, Karrie, Karry, Kaya, Keri, Kerri, Kerrie, Kerry, Lili, Line, Lina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Caroline Belmont, née Evelyn, Mme. Duval’s daughter (by her first husband), Evelina’s mother, and Sir John Belmont’s spurned and forsaken wife, in Evelina, or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World (1778), by Fanny Burney.
– Caroline Bingley, Mr. Bingley’s proud and spiteful sister with designs on Darcy, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (written in 1797, published in 1813).
– Caroline Lambert, who encourages her children in the lovely tradition of inviting someone in need to join them for Thanksgiving dinner every year, in “The Thanksgiving Guest”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Caroline Meeber (usually called “Carrie“, sometimes “Cad”; “Miss Madenda” in her acting career), the titular self-interested dreamer of Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Miss Caroline Otway, a member of the Otway clan, guests at Mr. and Mrs. Weston’s ball, in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
WRITERS:
– Caroline Courtney (1946-2011), pen name of English romance author Penelope Halsall, who also published under the pen names “Annie Groves”, “Lydia Hitchcock”, “Melinda Wright”, and “Penny Jordan”.
QUOTATIONS:
– From “Dainty June and Her Farmboys” from the 1959 Broadway musical Gypsy, by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents: “I have a moo cow / a new cow / a true cow / named Caroline / she’s an extra-special friend of mine / I like everything about her fine”
Charlotte
July 28, 2014 § 10 Comments
ORIGIN:
French feminine version of “Charles“, from the German name “Karl”, meaning “man”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Carla, Carlota, Carlotta, Carola, Carole, Carolina, Caroline, Charla, Charlene, Charline, Charlize, Charlotta, Karla, Karola, Karolina, Let, Lettie, Letty, Lotta, Lotte, Lottie, Lotty, Séarlait, Tot, Tottie, Totty, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth Bennet’s plain, sensible best friend in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (written in 1797, published in 1813).
– Charlotte Palmer, Mrs. Jennings’ rather gossipy and silly, but good-natured and kind-hearted daughter, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility(set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).
WRITERS:
– Charlotte M. Brame (1836-1884), English author who wrote under the pen name “Bertha M. Clay”.
– Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855), English novelist and poet.
– Charlotte Lamb (1937-2000), pen name of English romance author Sheila Holland, who also published as “Laura Hardy”, “Sheila Coates”, “Sheila Lancaster”, and “Victoria Wolf”.
– Charlotte Turner Smith (1749-1806), English novelist and poet.
– Charlotte Mary Yonge (1823-1901), English novelist.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 