Native American | The Art of Literary Nomenclature

Nina

August 4, 2015 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
Usually, a diminutive of names ending in “-nina”, such as “Antonina” or “Giannina”, or a variation of “Ann” / “Anne“. Possibly referring to the Spanish word, meaning “little girl”; or from the Native American (Quechua) word, meaning “fire”; or the Russian feminine version of “Nino”; or to the name of a Babylonian and Assyrian fertility goddess.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Ani, Ann, Anne, Anni, Annie, Anny, Antonina, Giannina, Nainsi, Nan, Nana, Nance, Nanci, Nancie, Nancy, Nandag, Nanette, Nanice, Nanine, Nannie, Nanny, Nanse, Nansi, Nansie, Nansy, Neena, Neenah, Nena, Nenci, Nensi, Neske, Nest, Nesta, Nina, Ninette, Ninon, Nona, Nonna, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Nina Leffer, the sophisticated girl who becomes Lily’s first new friend after moving to a new neighborhood and a new school, in Sleeping Arrangements, by Laura Cunningham (published 1989, set in the 1950s).

Washo

August 28, 2014 § Leave a comment

ORIGIN:
From the Great Basin Native American Washo language, meaning “people from around here”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Wa She Shu, Waashiw, Washoe.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Washo, Wallula’s father, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).

Wallula

August 28, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
Variation of “Walla Walla”, from the Walla Walla branch of the Sahaptin language, meaning “many waters”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Lula, Luula, Ula, Uula, Wallawalla, Wallie, Wally, Waluula.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Wallula (sometimes called “Lula“), a local Native American girl Molly Elliston befriends, in “Major Molly’s Christmas Promise” from Nora Perry’s A Flock of Girls and Boys (1895).

Iztaccihuatl

August 24, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
From an Aztec myth, meaning “white woman” in the Nauhuatl language.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Apparently, “Whattle”? Although, personally, I think that’s a dreadful nickname. But let’s be honest, Amélie Rives is a bit problematic as a writer not solely because she is sometimes weird with character names . . .

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Iztaccihuatl Page (called “Whattle“), a young servant at Caryston Hall, in Virginia of Virginia, written by Amélie Rives in 1888.

Popocatepetl

August 24, 2014 § 1 Comment

ORIGIN:
From an Aztec myth, meaning “smoking mountain” in the Nauhuatl language.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Well, it seems “Popo” is an option . . .

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Popocatepetl Page (called “Popo“), a young servant at Caryston Hall, in Virginia of Virginia, written by Amélie Rives in 1888.