German | The Art of Literary Nomenclature

Ria

August 6, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Maria“.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maia, Maja, Mia, Miep, Mies, Mitzi, Mya, Reena, Reeta, Rina, Rita, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickname of Maria Porter, a shopgirl Anna Winslow helps in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.

Anna

August 6, 2014 § 9 Comments

ORIGIN:
From “Hannah” (as used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament), a version of the Hebrew name “Channah”, meaning “favor” or “grace”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ana, Anabel, Anais, Andie, Andy, Aneke, Aneta, Ani, Ania, Anica, Anika, Anissa, Anita, Anitra, Anka, Anke, Ann, Annabel, Annabella, Annabelle, Anne, Anneke, Annetta, Annette, Annick, Annicka, Annie, Annika, Anniken, Annis, Anny, Anouk, Antje, Anushka, Anya, Channah, Hana, Hanna, Hannah, Hanne, Nainsi, Nan, Nancie, Nancy, Nanette, Nannie, Nanny, Nina, Ninon, Ona, Onna, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Anna Kronborg, Thea’s jealous and priggish older sister, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Anna Page, Sidney’s mother, who takes in boarders to help pay the bills after her sister, Harriet, leaves to start a dressmaking business, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– Anna Raymond, the girl Dolly Lorton is gossiping about when her friend Sally Ware calls her on it, in “The Youngest Miss Lorton”, from The Youngest Miss Lorton, and Other Stories by Nora Perry (1889).
– Anna Richards, Mary Marcy’s friend and seat-mate, in “An April Fool”, from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).
– Anna Snezak, co-owner (with her husband, Morris) of AnaMor Towers apartments, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
– Anna Weston, the baby girl possibly named for her mother, who signs her name “A. Weston” (née Taylor), in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815).
– Anna Winslow, president of the Mayflower Club in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.

WRITERS:
– Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966), pen name of Russian poet Anna Andreyevna Gorenko.
– Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743-1825), English critic, editor, essayist, poet, and children’s book writer.
– Anna Maria Bennett (c. 1750-1808), English novelist (sometimes credited as “Agnes Maria Hall”)
– Anna Maria Bunn (1808-1889), Australian author.
– Anna Maria Falconbridge (1769-c. 1816), English writer.
– Anna Katherine Green (1846-1935), American poet and novelist.
– Anna Maria Hall (1800-1881), Irish novelist (sometimes credited as “Mrs. S.C. Hall”)
– Anna Maria Hussey (1805-1853), English scientist, writer, and illustrator.
– Anna Kavan (1901-1968), English novelist, short story writer, and painter.
– Anna Maria Lenngren (1754-1817), Swedish poet, translator, and writer.
– Anna Maria Ortese (1914-1998), Italian poet and short story writer.
– Anna Maria Porter (1780-1832), English poet and novelist.
– Anna Quindlen (b. 1953), American author, columnist, and journalist.
– Anna Maria Rückerschöld (1725-1805), Swedish author.
– Anna Seghers (1900-1983), pen name of German writer Anna Reiling.
– Anna Sewell (1820-1878), English novelist.
– Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678), German-Dutch engraver, painter, poet, and scholar.
– Anna Marie Wilhelmina (A.M.W.) Stirling (1865-1965), English author who published under the pen name “Percival Pickering”.
– Anna Maria Wells (c. 1794-1868), American poet and children’s book writer.
– Anna Wheeler (c. 1780-1848), Irish activist and writer.

Fritz

August 5, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Friedrich”, the German version of “Frederick“, meaning “peaceful ruler”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fiete, Fred, Freddie, Freddy, Fredo, Frits, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Fritz, another new boy at Lily’s school, “who is from Rumania and is rumored to eat worms”, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
– Fritz, one of Becky’s young bohemian neighbors in Pumpernickel, where Amelia, Dobbin, Jos, and Georgy visit for a while on their Grand Tour, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Fritz Kohler, the local tailor, in whose house Thea’s music teacher, Prof. Wunsch, lives and gives his lessons, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).

WRITERS:
– Fritz Angst (1944-1976), Swiss author who published under the pen name “Fritz Zorn”.
– Fritz Arnheim (1866-1922), German historian, lecturer, and traveler.
– Fritz Oswald Bilse (1878-1951), German novelist, playwright, and soldier, who also published under the pen names “Fritz von der Kyrburg” and “Fritz Wernthal”.
– Fritz Cronman (c.1640-c.1680), Swedish diarist, diplomat, letter-writer, and soldier.
– Fritz Fischer (1908-1999), German historian.
– Fritz Gerlich (1883-1934), German historian and journalist.
– Fritz Grünbaum (1880-1941), Austrian artist, actor, director, and songwriter.
– Fritz Heichelheim (1901-1968), German-Canadian historian and professor.
– Fritz Hochwälder (1911-1986), Austrian playwright.
– Fritz Hommel (1854-1936), German scholar and writer.
– Fritz Koselka (1905-1978), Austrian screenwriter and writer.
– Fritz Leiber (1910-1992), American actor, author, playwright, and poet.
– Fritz Löhner-Beda (1883-1942), Austrian librettist, lyricist, and writer.
– Fritz Magnussen (1878-1920), Danish director and screenwriter.
– Fritz Mauthner (1849-1923), Austro-Hungarian critic, journalist, novelist, philosopher, and satirist.
– Fritz Mühlenweg (1898-1961), German author, editor, painter, and translator.
– Fritz Novotny (1903-1983), Austrian historian.
– Fritz Oliven (1874-1956), German author, composer, lawyer, librettist, and lyricist, who published under the pen name “Rideamus”.
– Fritz Reuter (1810-1874), German novelist.
– Fritz Saxl (1890-1948), Austrian historian.
– Fritz Spiegl (1926-2003), Austrian broadcaster, collector, humorist, journalist, and musician.
– Fritz Stern (b. 1926), German-American historian and professor.
– Fritz Steuben (1898-1981), pen name of German novelist and short-story writer Erhard Wittek.
– Fritz von Unruh (1885-1970), German dramatist, novelist, and poet.

Max

August 5, 2014 § 5 Comments

ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Maximilian” or “Maxwell”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Mac, Mack, Maxie, Maxey, Miksa, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Max, one of Becky’s young bohemian neighbors in Pumpernickel, where Amelia, Dobbin, Jos, and Georgy visit for a while on their Grand Tour, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Dr. Max Wilson, Dr. Ed’s younger brother, a brilliant playboy surgeon who beguiles Sidney Page, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).

AUTHORS:
– Sir Max Beerbohm (1872-1956), English humorist and writer.

Sophia

August 5, 2014 § 8 Comments

ORIGIN:
Greek, meaning “wisdom”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Fifi, Sofi, Sofia, Sofie, Sofiya, Sonia, Sonja, Sonya, Sophie, Sophy, Vivi, Zophi, Zophia, Zophie, Zosia, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Duchess Sophia, who writes dreary domestic comedies for performance in Pumpernickel, where Amelia, Dobbin, Jos, and Georgy visit for a while on their Grand Tour, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Sophia Blackburn, a friend of Mrs. Bowyer’s in “Old Lady Mary” (1884), from Stories of the Seen and Unseen by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant.
– Miss Sophia Grey, the heiress Willoughby marries after being disinherited by his aunt, Miss Smith, in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (set between 1792-1797, published in 1811).

Ida

August 5, 2014 § 2 Comments

ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “work” or “labor”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Idah, Ide, Idella, Idelle, Idina, Iida, etc..

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Ida, daughter of the Prime Minister of Pumpernickel, where Amelia, Dobbin, Jos, and Georgy visit for a while on their Grand Tour, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).
– Ida Standish, member of the Mayflower Club in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.

WRITERS:
– Ida Pollock (1908-2013), English author who published under her own name, as well as several pseudonyms.
– Ida Tarbell (1857-1944), American author, journalist, and teacher.
– Ida B. Wells (1862-1931), American activist, editor, and journalist.

Roger

August 5, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
Variant spelling of “Rodger”, from the Germanic, meaning “famous spear”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hrodger, Rod, Rodge, Rodger, Rodgers, Rogerio, Rogers, Ruggerio, Ruggero, Rutger, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Roger, a local boy Robin went to school with, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
– Sir Roger Bassett, who sells Tom Faggus some land at great cost, and is lucky to escape from the legal entanglements with anything left at all, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Sir Roger Bludyer, whose wife befriends Amelia after Dobbin’s and Joseph’s return to England, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

Felix

August 5, 2014 § 2 Comments

ORIGIN:
From Latin, meaning “fortunate” or “successful”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Felice, Feliks, Phelix, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Rev. Felix Rabbit, country curate and father of fourteen daughters (including Mrs. Hardyman), eleven of whom are married off during their stay in India, which event is a topic of conversation between Joseph Sedley and his friends, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

WRITERS:
– Felix Francis (b. 1953), English crime novelist.
– Felix Salten (1869-1945), Austrian author and critic.

Walter

August 5, 2014 § 5 Comments

ORIGIN:
Germanic, meaning “powerful warrior” or “ruler of the army”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gautier, Gualtiero, Valter, Waldhar, Wally, Walt, Walther, Wat, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Walter Scape, who is “withdrawn from Eton and put into a merchant’s house” after his father’s failure in the firm of Fogle, Fake, and Cracksman, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

WRITERS:
– Walter of Swinbroke (died c. 1360), English chronicler, also known as Geoffrey the Baker.
– Walter Besant (1836-1901), English historian and novelist who sometimes published in collaboration with James Rice.
– Walter Ericson (1914-2003), pen name of American novelist and television writer Howard Fast, who also wrote under the pen name “E.V. Cunningham”.
– Walter Savage Landor (1775-1864), English writer and poet.
– Walter Pater (1839-1894), English writer and critic.
– Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), Scottish novelist, playwright, and poet.

Georgina

August 5, 2014 § 2 Comments

ORIGIN:
Like “Georgiana“, one of the many feminine variants of “George“.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Geena, Gena, Georgeanne, Georgette, Georgia, Georgiana, Georgie, Georgine, Gigi, Gina, Giorgia, Giorgina, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Georgina Frederica, Lady Fitz-Willis, one of the “best” society dames to befriend Becky through Lord Steyne’s patronage, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

Where Am I?