Herbert
August 22, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright army”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bert, Bertie, Berto, Berty, Herb, Herberto, Herbie, Herby, Heribert, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Herbert Crane, one of the snobbish Jessica Hurstwood’s schoolmates, scorned for not being rich, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Herbert Kennedy, who hopes to make Ruth forget about David Langston, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
WRITERS:
– Herbert Agar (1897-1980), American editor, journalist, and historian.
– Herbert S. Scott (1931-2006), American editor and poet.
– Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), English philosopher, scientist, and writer.
– Herbert George (H.G.) Wells (1866-1946), English writer.
David
August 22, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “beloved”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Dai, Daividh, Dauid, Dave, Daveth, Davey, Davide, Davie, Davis, Davit, Davy, Daw, Dawid, Dawud, Dewie, Dewey, Dewydd, Dovid, Taavetti, Taavi, Tavi, Taffy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Brother David, the stonemason, 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.
– David Langston, the titular clean-living “harvester of the forest”, in The Harvester (1911) by Gene Stratton Porter.
– David Wyburn, Esther’s cousin, who works as a clerk at Weyman & Co.’s importing-house, in “Esther Bodn”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– David Craig (b. 1929), pen name of Welsh novelist James Tucker, who also publishes as “Bill James” and “Judith Jones”.
– David Herbert (D.H.) Lawrence (1885-1930), English critic, essayist, novelist, painter, playwright, and poet.
– David Malouf (b. 1934), Australian novelist, playwright, and short story writer.
– David McCullough (b. 1933), American author, historian, and lecturer.
– David Mitchell (b. 1969), English novelist.
– David Sedaris (b. 1956), American author and humorist.
– David Foster Wallace (1962-2008), American essayist, novelist, professor, and short story writer.
– David Walliams (b. 1971), English activist, actor, children’s book writer, and comedian.
Mimi
August 18, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Maria“, “Miriam”, “Jemima“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mae, Madge, Maisie, Maisy, Mame, Mamie, Maria, Marie, Mariele, Mariella, Marietta, May, Mayme, Maymie, Mia, Midge, Mim, Mimsie, Mimsy, Mirele, Moll, Mollie, Molly, etc. etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Mimi, the Austrian kitchen maid at Mrs. Page’s boarding-house, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
Christine
August 17, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Variation of “Christina”, from “Christiana”, the feminine form of “Christian”, meaning, you know, “a Christian”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Chris, Chrissie, Chrissy, Christa, Christel, Christelle, Christen, Christi, Christiana, Christiane, Christie, Christin, Christina, Christy, Cris, Crissi, Crissie, Crissy, Crista, Cristen, Cristi, Cristiana, Cristiane, Cristie, Cristin, Cristina, Cristine, Cristy, Crys, Cryssi, Cryssie, Cryssy, Crysta, Crysten, Crysti, Crystie, Crystin, Crystina, Crystine, Crysty, Ina, Kia, Kiki, Kilikina, Kirsi, Kirsteen, Kirsten, Kirsti, Kirstie, Kirstin, Kirstine, Kirsty, Kjersti, Kris, Krissi, Krissie, Krissy, Krista, Kristen, Kristi, Kristiana, Kristiane, Kristie, Kristin, Kristina, Kristine, Kristjana, Kristy, Kristyna, Krisztina, Krysia, Krystiana, Krysten, Krystina, Krystine, Krysty, Krystyna, Krystyne, Stina, Teena, Tina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Christine Lorenz, Sidney’s friend, who chooses to become a “bird in a gilded cage” and lives to regret it, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
WRITERS:
– Christine Angot (b. 1959), French writer, novelist, and playwright.
– Christine Arnothy (b. 1930), French writer.
– Christine Brooke-Rose (1923-2012), English writer and critic.
– Christine de Pisan (1364-c.1430), French author and poet.
– Christine Marion Fraser (1938-2002), Scottish author.
– Christine Harris (b. 1955), Australian author.
– Christine Nöstlinger (b. 1936), Austrian writer.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 