Aaron
July 7, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew name “Aharon”, possibly meaning “light” or “mountain”; or perhaps of Egyptian origin, meaning unknown.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aaren, Aharon, Aran, Arin, Aron, Arran, Arrin, Arron, Eran, Erin, Eron, Haroon, Haroun, Harun, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Aaron Hassan, Susan’s older brother in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).
Benjamin
May 24, 2015 § 5 Comments
ORIGIN:
From the Hebrew name “Binyamin”, meaning “son of the south” or “son of the right hand”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ben, Beniamin, Beniamino, Benj, Benja, Benji, Benjie, Benjy, Bennie, Benny, Benyamen, Beryamen, Binyamin, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Benjamin Hardin Creighton (b. 1832), oldest of the Creighton children, “left for Californy 1849”), in Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964; set during the American Civil War, 1861-1865).
– Middle name of Matthew Benjamin Creighton, Ellen’s husband and Jethro’s father, a well-respected farmer of integrity and compassion, in Across Five Aprils.
– Benjamin Norton, the president of the trolley company Hurstwood attempts to work for, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), English novelist and politician.
– Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), American activist, author, diplomat, inventor, politician, publisher, scientist, and statesman.
Orrin
May 24, 2015 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
Alternate spelling of “Oran” / “Orin”, from Irish, meaning “little pale green one”, or of “Oren”, from Hebrew, meaning “pine tree”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Odran, Odrhan, Oran, Oren, Orin, Orren, Orrie, Orry, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Orrin Cushing, a friend of Lola’s who tries to strike up a flirtation with Carrie, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Bart
May 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Shortened version of “Bartholomew“.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Barth, Bartholomew, Bartie, Bartlett, Bartley, Bartol, Barty, Bertok, Mees, Mies, Tolly, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Bart Taylor, a young man of Jessica Hurstwood’s acquaintance, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
WRITERS:
– Bart Kennedy (1861-1930), English journalist, memoirist, and novelist.
– Bart Van Lierde (b. 1974), Flemish novelist, playwright, and songwriter.
Jessica
May 11, 2015 § 7 Comments
ORIGIN:
Probably invented by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice; possibly inspired by the Hebrew “Ischa” / “Yiskah” / “Jescha”, meaning “to behold” or “Jehovah is watching”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Gessica, Iekika, Ischa, Janet, Jean, Jescha, Jess, Jessa, Jesslin, Jessalyn, Jesse, Jessenia, Jessica, Jessika, Jessy, Teasag, Yesika, Yessica, Yiskah, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Jessica Hurstwood, George Hurstwood’s frivolous and self-centered daughter, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
Schmendrick
December 18, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “fat person”, or Yiddish, meaning “stupid person”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Not sure that there are any.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Schmendrick, the aspiring magician who accompanies the unicorn on her quest to find the rest of her people, in the fantasy novel The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle.
Hiram
November 24, 2014 § Leave a comment
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “exalted brother”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hi, High, Hirem, Huram, Hurem, Hy, Hyram, Hyrem.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Hiram Bowers, Madison Bowers’ father, a Boston choirmaster, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
WRITERS:
– Hiram M. Chittenden (1858-1917), American historian.
– Hiram Alfred (H.A.) Cody (1872-1948), Canadian clergyman and novelist.
– Hiram Fuller (1814-1880), American educator and journalist.
Adam
October 4, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “man”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Aatami, Adamo, Addy, Adem, Adhamh, Adomas, Akamu, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Adam Bowyer, a guardsman in Sir Peter’s castle, in The Door in the Wall (written in 1949 and set sometime between 1327-1377), by Marguerite de Angeli.
Josiah
September 15, 2014 § 1 Comment
ORIGIN:
From Hebrew, meaning “Jehovah supports”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Iosias, Jos, Josias, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Josiah Bowden, the local parson in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
– Josiah Quincy, the “best young lawyer in Boston”, who defends Johnny against charges of theft and fraud, in Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (written in 1943; set during the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War, 1773-1775).
WRITERS:
– Josiah Conder (1789-1855), English author and editor.
– Josiah Gregg (1806-1850), American author, explorer, merchant, and naturalist.
– Josiah Henson (1789-1883), American-Canadian abolitionist, author, and minister.
– Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881), American novelist and poet who sometimes used the pen name “Timothy Titcomb”.
– Josiah Quincy III (1772-1864), American historian and politician.
– Josiah Priest (1788-1851), American pseudohistorical and pseudoscientific writer.
– Josiah Strong (1847-1916), American author, clergyman, editor, and organizer.
– Josiah Tucker (1713-1799), Welsh churchman, economist, and political writer.
Jeremiah
September 14, 2014 § 2 Comments
ORIGIN:
Hebrew, meaning “God has raised high”.
VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Hieremias, Ieremias, Jarmo, Jer, Jere, Jeremias, Jeremie, Jeremy, Jerrie, Jerry, Jorma, Reme, Remy, etc.
REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nickname for Jeremy Stickles (sometimes called “Jerry” as well), the Court Messenger who, after being sent to bring John Ridd back to London, befriends the Ridd family and aids in the fight against the Doones, in Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore (written in 1869, set in the 1670s-1680s).
WRITERS:
– Jeremiah Burrows (c. 1600-1646), English preacher and religious writer.
– Jeremiah Curtin (1835-1906), American folklorist and translator.
The Art of Literary Nomenclature 