Angela
August 30, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
Feminine form of the Latin “Angelus”, derived from the Greek “angelos”, meaning “messenger”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aingeal, Anda, Andela, Andelka, Andjela, Angele, Angelia, Angelien, Angelina, Angeline, Angelita, Angelle, Angie, Aniela, Anielka, Anzhela, Anzhelina, Lina, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Angela Jocelyn, a bright, naive girl whose poverty makes her self-conscious, in “An April Fool”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Angela Brazil (1868-1947), English author.
– Angela Carter (1940-1992), English novelist and journalist.
– Angela Huth (b. 1938), English novelist and journalist.
– Angela Jackson (b. 1951), American poet, playwright, and writer.
– Angela Johnson (b. 1961), American poet and children’s book writer.
– Angela Thirkell (1890-1961), Anglo-Australian novelist.
Nelly
August 30, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Nellie”, diminutive of “Eleanor“, “Ellen“, or “Helen“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Elea, Ella, Elle, Ellie, Elly, Leanora, Lenora, Lenore, Nell, Nelle, Nellie, Nora, Norah, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nelly Ryder, a spiteful, petty girl who tries to play a mean trick, in “An April Fool”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Nelly Sachs (1891-1970), German dramatist and poet.
Bernard
August 30, 2014 § 6 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “stern bear” or “brave bear”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Barnard, Barnet, Barney, Ben, Bent, Berinhard, Bernardino, Bernardo, Bernarr, Bernat, Bernd, Bernhard, Bernie, Bernt, Berny, Dino, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Dr. Bernard Phillips, whose house Ally mistakes for home, in “Ally”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
WRITERS:
– Bernard Ashley (b. 1935), English children’s book writer.
– Bernard Lewis (b. 1916), Anglo-American historian and writer.
– Bernard Malamud (1914-1986), American author.
– (George) Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish author, critic, and playwright.
Tim
August 29, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Timothy“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Timmer, Timmie, Timmy, Timo, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Tim, the “prizefighter” Becky Hawkins risks her life to save, in “Becky”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Tim Potter, one of the locals riled up into a mob with the intent of at least arresting, if not shooting, the pardoned and somewhat-reformed highwayman Tom Faggus, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Tim Burton (b. 1958), American artist, director, producer, poet, and writer.
– Tim O’Brien (b. 1946), American novelist.
Elise
August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Elizabeth“, meaning “oath of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Eilis, Eilish, Eli, Eliisa, Elisa, Eliza, Ella, Elle, Elli, Ellie, Elly, Elsa, Else, Elsje, Elyse, Elze, Ilsa, Ilse, Lies, Liesa, Liese, Liesel, Liesel, Liesje, Liisa, Liisi, Liisu, Lili, Lilli, Lilly, Lily, Lis, Lisa, Lise, Lisette, Liza, Lys, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Elise Wheatley, the daughter of the kind woman Polly meets at the shop, in “Polly’s Valentine” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Bert
August 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened form of “Albert”, “Herbert“, “Robert“, etc.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Bertie, Bertil, Berto, Berty, Burt, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bert Purcel, Royal’s kid brother, in “The Egg-Boy” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Bert Rice, Anna Kronborg’s beau, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Bert Schierbeek (1918-1996), Dutch writer.
– Bert Stiles (1920-1944), American short story writer.
– Bert Sugar (1937-2012), American sports historian and writer.
– Bert Leston Taylor (1866-1921), American author, columnist, humorist, and poet.
Isabel
August 27, 2014 § 3 Comments
ORIGIN:
A medieval variation of “Elizabeth“, meaning “oath of God”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Beileag, Belina, Belinda, Belinha, Bell, Bella, Belle, Ibb, Ibbie, Ibby, Isa, Isabela, Isabell, Isabella, Isabelle, Isbel, Iseabail, Isebella, Ishbel, Isibéal, Isobel, Issie, Issy, Izabela, Izabelle, Izzie, Izzy, Sabela, Sabell, Sabella, Sabelle, Sibeal, Spela, Ysabel, Ysobel, Zabel, Zabell, Zabella, Zabelle, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Isabel Pelham, Margaret’s older sister, in “That Little Smith Girl” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
Diana
August 26, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Latin, meaning “divine”, from the Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Dajana, Dede, Dee, Di, Diahann, Dian, Diane, Dianna, Dianne, Dijana, Kiana, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Diana, a girl at school Lily befriends, one of the other “irregular” children in her grade, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
– Diana Duval, one of Lily’s first friends, “a dirty blonde in every sense”, in Sleeping Arrangements.
– Diana Rivers (later Fitzjames), one of St. John’s sisters, who befriend Jane after she leaves Thornfield, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Diana Athill (b. 1917), English editor, novelist, and memoirist.
– Diana Gabaldon (b. 1952), American author.
– Diana Gould (b. 1944), American author and screenwriter.
– Diana Hendry (b. 1941), English author and poet.
– Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011), English writer.
– Diana Mitford, the Hon. Lady Mosley (1910-2003), English socialite and writer.
– Diana Morgan (b. 1913), English novelist.
Bertha
August 26, 2014 § 4 Comments
ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “bright” or “famous”, possibly related to the name of a goddess of animals and weaving.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Berchta, Berhta, Berta, Berthe, Bertie, Bertille, Bertina, Birdie, Perchta, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bertha Antoinetta Mason, Mr. Rochester’s unfortunate wife in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Bertha Behrens (1850-1912), German novelist.
– Bertha Southey Brammall (1878-1957), Australian writer.
– Bertha Henry Buxton (1844-1881), English novelist and children’s book writer.
– Bertha M. Clay (1836-1884), pen name used by English author Charlotte M. Brame.
– Bertha Eckstein-Diener (1874-1948), Austrian historian, journalist, and writer who also wrote under the pen name “Helen Diner”.
– Bertha Frederich (1825-1882), German novelist who wrote under such pen names as “Georg Dannenberg” and “Golo Raimund”.
– Bertha Harris (1937-2005), American novelist.
– Bertha Damon (c. 1883-c. 1976), American author, editor, humorist, and lecturer.
– Bertha Harmer (1885-1934), Canadian educator, nurse, and writer.
– Bertha Runkle (1879-1958), American novelist and playwright.
– Bertha Muzzy Sinclair (1871-1940), American writer who wrote under the pen name “B.M. Bower”.
– Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914), Austrian novelist and pacifist.
Sophie
August 25, 2014 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Sophy“, a diminutive of “Sophia“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fifi, Sofi, Sofia, Sofie, Sofiya, Sonia, Sonja, Sonya, Sophia, Sophy, Vivi, Zophi, Zophia, Zophie, Zosia, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Sophie, Adèle Varens’ French nursemaid, in Jane Eyre, 1847, by Charlotte Bronte.
WRITERS:
– Sophie Leyton (1928-2009), pen name of English romance author Sheila Walsh.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 