November is chocked full of commemorative dates. Several countries celebrate Thanksgiving and All Saints Day, but there is also Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes' Day), Martinmas and Hollantide. All-in-all a good excuse to enjoy the bounty of harvest and wrap up warm and cosy.
November
Although it is now the eleventh month in the calendar, November was once the ninth month, derived from the Latin novem meaning "nine." November has had some usage as a first-name in Britain and other English-speaking countries, and Nona and Nonus are alternate forms of novem that were used as names in Roman society. Other translations include the French novembre, Spanish noviembre, Portuguese Novembro and Italian novembre.
Black
In ancient times November was a time when any cattle that were unlikely to survive the winter would be taken to slaughter and offered up in sacrifice to the gods. This assured that there was sufficient winter grazing for the animals kept over, as well as a good supply of meat for the cold winter months. The Old English name was Blotmonað "blood month" or "sacrifice month." The Welsh name Tachwedd translates as "slaughter" as does the Icelandic Gormánuáðrand the Dutch Slachtmaand.
The Welsh also translated November as y mis du, "the black month", and the same meaning is found in the Scottish name am mìos dubh. It is easy to connect the two themes together. Black could not only reference the dark November nights, but also the colour of the ground after sacrifice.
There are many names that share the meaning of black, or dark. The Old English blæc survives in the name Blake, and there are several words used in modern English that refer to the colour black, such as Sable, Ebony, Jet and Raven.
The Gaelic word dubh makes up several early Irish and Scottish names. Dubh itself was the name of a 10th century Scottish king, and an Irish druidess who legend says gave her name to Dublin. The name is anglicised as Duff or Duffy. Donndubhan (Donovan), Dubhagan, Dubhan, Duigeann (Deegan), Duibheasa (Devasse) and Dubhghall (Dougal). The related Welsh du became the surname Dee, and later a first-name. Gaelic also gives us ciar "black, dark" found in the names Ciar, Ciaran, Ciara and Ciarnat.
Other "black" names include Melanie, Melantha, Melanthos (Greek); Charna (Yiddish); Kali, Krishna, Shyama and Shyamal (Sanskrit).
Frost and Fog
Frost and fog are habitual for November and so it has been for centuries. Back in 1665 Richard Saunders warned: "...beware you do not go early forth of doors this Moneth (those that can avoid it) because of Foggs and Mists." An old Norse name for November is Frer-mánuðr, translating as "frost month" and the many Germanic names for the month included Winter-mond "winter month" and Nebel-mond "fog month."
Frost has long been a British surname that has sometime crossed over as a first-name. It has also long been associated with the winter figure Jack Frost. Kirsi is a Finnish name that translates as "frost."
Misty has had fairy usage as a first name in Britain, while other countries use Kasumi (Japanese), Terhi (Finnish), Miglė (Lithuanian), Noelani (Hawaiian)and Fethnaid (Irish), all with "misty" meanings.
Falling Leaves
Significantly, those European countries who didn't refer to November as either the black-sacrifice month, or the frosty-fog month, call it instead the month of falling leaves. The Polish, Czech and Slovene name is Listopad, the Ukranian name is Lystopad, and the Belarusian is Listapad -- derived from liść "leaf" and padać "to fall."
Several native British trees produce a beautifully coloured array of fallen leaves in November, and all could be (and in many cases have been) used as first names. Several turning at the moment are Oak, Alder, Maple, Rowan, Ash, Hazel, Birch, Willow, Elm and Linden.
Names in use around the globe that are related to, and derive from, the trees listed above include, Alon, Allon, Elon, Alona, Ąžuolas, Dubravko, Ametza (Oak); Alnea, Alnus, Delaney, Gwern, Klethra, Laverne, Vernon (Alder); Javor, Kaede, Linford (Maple); Kalina (Rowan); Ashley, Ashton, Melia, Nash, Ornella, Yasen (Ash); Coll, Collen (Hazel); Barclay, Bedivere, Bedwyr, Bedwen, Betula, Björk, Briscoe, Ritva (Birch); Selby, Wilford, Willoughby (Willow); Elowen, Embla, Laune, Lennox (Elm).
Symbols
The Topaz is the birthstone for November, which is known for healing and energising properties. It is derived, via French and Latin, from the Greek topazos. The origin is disputed, but it is thought ultimately to come from the Sanskrit tapas meaning "heat" and "fire."
November's birth flower is the Chrysanthemum, a symbol of compassion and friendship. It was originally the name for the marigold, though the name literally translates as "golden flower," from the Greek χρυσος (khrysos) "golden" and ἄνθεμον (anthemon) "flower." Chrysanthe, Chrysanta and Chrysanthos are related names.
Scorpio "the scorpion" is the astrological sign that runs from October 24 to November 22. In ancient mythology, Skorpios (Scorpius) was a giant scorpion sent by the earth-goddess Gaia to defeat the giant Orion when he threatened to kill all the animals of the earth. Afterwards, Orion and the Scorpion were placed amongst the stars as a pair of Constellations. The two are never seen in the sky at the same time, however, as one constellation always sets as the other rises.
Name Days
Many different countries have names associated with days of the year; most often they are the feast days of saints. Below are some of the names associated with the days in November around the world.
1 = Harold, Marianna, Penelope
2 = Hilary, Margaret, Tobias, Valentine
3 = Edith, Hubert, Sylvia, Winifred
4 = Charles, Modesta, Otto
5 = Emmerich, Elizabeth, Malachi, Zachary, Zachariah
6 = Christina, Gregory, Leonard, Leonardo
7 = Carina, Engelbert, Ernest, John Gabriel
8 = Angela, Angelo, Gabriel, Geoffrey, Michael, Severin
9 = Maturin, Ornella, Theodore, Vito
10 = Andrew, Leo, Luther, Martin
11 = Anastasia, Martin, Vincent
12 = Benedict, Conrad, Medana, Torkill
13 = Brice, Christian, Eugene, Eugenia, Killian
14 = Frederick, Judith, Philip, Sidonie
15 = Albert, Arthur, Leopold
16 = Arnold, Edmund, Margaret, Othmar
17 = Augustine, Elizabeth, Hugo, Victoria
18 = Alda, Aude, Odo, Otto, Roman
19 = Elizabeth, James, Matilda
20 = Edmund, Felix, Maxentia, Octavius
21 = Amelia, Maria, Mary, Rufus
22 = Cecilia, Philemon, Salvator
23 = Adela, Alexander, Clement, Felicity
24 = Chrysogonus, Flora, Emma, Emilia
25 = Catherine, Erasmus, Katarina
26 = Conrad, Delphine, Linus, Sylvester
27 = Astrid, Maximus, Virgil
28 = Jacob, Rufus, Silas
29 = Cuthbert, Saturninus, Saturnina, Walter
30 = Abraham, Andrew, Isaac, Simeon
'Twas Ever Thus...
Another offering from the infamous letters of 1892 in The Standard:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD
SIR, — Referring to the letters on this subject, I may mention an instance that occurred here some years ago.
A child (a girl) was brought for baptism to my grandfather. When asked the name, the parent, to his surprise, replied "Emdiella." "There is no such name," said my grandfather. "Oh, yes sir, there is; we saw it in a book," replied the woman. My grandfather at the time did not like to enquire further, but it turned out that she had found in an old grammar the four liquid letters, L.M.N.R., and had confused them into M.D.L.R. The child was, however, christened "Emdiella."
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
F. G. H.
Castle Acre, Norfolk, April 10.
The Standard
(London), April 12, 1892
.d
So, of course I checked. An "Emdieler" was registered on the Birth Index in Castle Acre in 1852. She is recorded as "Emdeeler" on her marriage and death entry, but often simply as "Emma" on census records.
As my father (a proud Norfolkman) says, that's pretty Normal for Norfolk. And just to see if he's right, here is another letter, from the same set, sent from Norfolk.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD
SIR, — In this town there is an innkeeper who rejoices in the baptismal name of "Mahershalalhashbaz" (see Isaiah 8,i). I should think this is unique. He is commonly called "Maher," but in the parochial and other lists the full name appears.
Report says (but I will not vouch for its truth) that his father wished him to be named "Uz," but on the clergyman remonstrating he immediately said "Then we will have the other," and produced from his pocket a slip of paper with the longer name.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
W.
E. Dereham, Norfolk, April 8.
The Standard
(London), April 11, 1892
Incidentally, W. supposes wrong. I have come across Mahershalalhashbaz a few times while trawling though Norfolk baptism records.
Posted at 06:59 PM in Historical Name Commentary, Uncommon and Unusual | Permalink | Comments (2)
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