Maple
September 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the maple tree, probably. Or perhaps a variant of “Mabel” / “Mable”. But probably just the tree.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Um . . . Mapie? No, on second thought, please don’t call anyone, real or imagined, “Mapie”. That’s awful.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Maple Durham, the real name of local “wise woman” (read: witch) Mother Melldrum, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Faith
September 13, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
One of the “virtue” names created by the Puritans, meaning, well, “faith”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fae, Faithe, Faithie, Fay, Faye, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Faith Snowe, one of Farmer Nicholas’ three lively, comely daughters, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Faith Baldwin (1893-1978), American author.
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.
Lorna
September 13, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Invented by English author Richard Doddridge Blackmore for his 1869 novel, Lorna Doone. The character was a descendant of the Earl of Lorne, a Scottish nobleman.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Um . . . Lori, maybe? Stuff like that?
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Lorna Doone (Dugal), the titular fair maiden who captures simple John Ridd’s heart in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Nicholas
September 13, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
From 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, 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, Nikos, Niksa, Nikusha, Nils, Nixon, Nykko, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nicholas Snowe, the neighbor whose farm is next to the Ridd’s in location and importance, and whose three daughters hope to catch John Ridd’s attention, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Nicholas Blake (1904-1972), pen name of English poet and novelist Cecil Day-Lewis
– Nicholas Mosley (b. 1923), English novelist.
– Nicholas Rowe (1674-1718), English dramatist, poet, and writer.
– Nicholas Sparks (b. 1965), American novelist and screenwriter.
Carver
September 12, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Old English last name, meaning “wood carver” or “stone carver”, or Anglo-Norman, meaning “ploughman”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Kerver, Keruer.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Carver Doone, the vengeful and wicked villain who earns his name from his cruelty, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Ensor
September 12, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Anglo-Saxon place name meaning “Eden’s ridge” or “ridge of prosperity”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Edensor, Endser, Endsor, Enser, Ensie, Ensy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sir Ensor Doone, captain and progenitor of the murderous band of Doones who terrorize Exmoor, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Ensor Doone (called “Ensie“; later re-named Jones), Carver’s young son, who adores and is adopted by John Ridd following the assault on the Doone stronghold, in Lorna Doone.
Jem
September 12, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
An English medieval diminutive of “James“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Jae, Jaime, Jamie, Jamey, Jay, Jemmy, Jim, Jimi, Jimmie, Jimmy, Jimsy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Red Jem Hannaford, a sheep thief, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Jem Slocombe, a laborer on John Ridd’s farm, in Lorna Doone.
Nanny
September 12, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Medieval diminutive of “Annis”, or of “Ann” / “Anne” (via “Nan”).
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ann, Anne, Annie, Anny, Nainsi, Nan, Nancie, Nancy, Nana, Nance, Nandag, Nanette, Nanice, Nanine, Nannie, Nanse, Nansi, Nansie, Nansy, Nenci, Nensi, Neske, Nest, Nesta, Nina, Ninette, Ninon, Nona, Nonna, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nanny (Annie) Ridd (sometimes called “Nancy“), John’s favorite sister, a sweet little homemaker, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
Phoebe
September 12, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From the Greek name “Phoibe”, meaning “bright and pure” or “the shining one”, after a goddess associated with the moon.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Febe, Phebe, Pheobe, Phoibe.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Phoebe, the doddering old woman who serves as a sort of housemother at John Ridd’s school, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Phoebe Cary (1824-1871), American poet.
– Phoebe Gilman (1940-2002), Canadian-American children’s book author and illustrator.
– Phoebe Palmer (1807-1874), American evangelist and writer.
– Phoebe Atwood Taylor (1909-1976), American mystery author who also wrote under the pen names “Freeman Dana” and “Alice Tilton”.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 