Name of the Week

 A lavish ancient name with prominent routes 
in folklore, aristocracy and sainthood.

 

Origin:

The English form of the Ancient Greek name Ambrosios, later rendered as Ambrosius in Latin. The Greek word αμβροσιος (ambrosios) translates to "immortal" or, more commonly, "(belonging to) the immortals." It was used as a lengthened form of ἄμβροτος (ambrotos) "immortal, divine", which was essentially formed from the negative prefix ἄ- + μβροτός (mbrotos) "mortal" — literally "not mortal." The feminine form, ambrosia, was the name given to the divine food and drink of the Greek gods which, it was believed, helped the gods preserve their immortality. From the 18th century the term has been applied figuratively to anything considered "delightful" or "delectable."

Usage:

Early British legend records a heroic figure named Ambrosius Aurelianus. He was a legendary Romano-British war-leader, famous for defending the British from the Anglo-Saxons. Though details of his life are shrouded in mystery, memories of Ambrosius have survived in British folklore under the Welsh form of the name, Emrys, or — as some know him better — Merlin.  The similarly named Aurelius Ambrosius was a fourth century bishop of Milan who was originally governor of Liguria and Aemilia. Saint Ambrose, as we now known him, was highly influential in his ecclesiastical writings, and proved to be a popular saint. It was this popularity that brought Ambrose into general use in Europe in the Middle Ages. It was in occasional use in Britain at this time, which led to use of Ambrose as a surname.  From the 15th century we find increasing examples of Ambrose in use among the British nobility, most notably the Dudley family. Usage gradually began to increase until the 19th century when it became more broadly used. Feminine forms such as Ambrosine, Ambrosina and Ambrosia were also used. On the 1841 UK census, 3,349 males were recorded with the name Ambrose (98% living in England). 4,131 were recorded in 1861, which had risen to 5,541 in 1881, and 5,910 in 1900 (93% living in England). In 1890 Ambrose ranked #130 with 175 births which had fallen to #183 (95 births) in 1900. The name gradually declined in usage From 1996 to 2009 in England and Wales, Ambrose has had a birth count between 2 and 10. 2010 saw a slight peak when Ambrose #1483 with 16 births, however in 2011 it had dropped back down to #2390 (8 births).

Famous Bearers:

History: * St. Ambrose (c.330–397), patron saint of Milan. * Ambrose of Alexandria, 3rd century Christian confessor. He is venerated as a saint in some branches of Christianity.  * Ambroise (or Ambrose the Poet), Norman poet and chronicler of the Third Crusade. * Blessed Ambrose of Siena (c.1220–1286), Italian misionary and diplomat. * Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick (c. 1530–1590), English nobleman who was known as the "Good Earl of Warwick" thanks to his modest lifestyle. * Sir Ambrose Rookwood (c.1578–1606), member of the GunPowder Plot. * Ambrose Edward Barlow (1585–1641), an English Benedictine monk who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. * Sir Ambrose Crowley (1658–1713), an ironmonger who rose up the ranks to become Sheriff of London. * Ambrose Philips (1674–1749), English poet. * Sir Ambrose Poynter (1797–1886), English architect and one of the founding members of the Institute of British Architects. Other: * HMS Ambrose, the name of two ships in the Royal Navy. * Mount Ambrose, an area in Cornwall.

Variants:

Emrys (Welsh), Ambrosios (Ancient Greek), Ambrosius (Latin), Ambrosio (Spanish), Ambroise (French), Ambrogio (Italian)

Pronunciation:

AM-brōz  [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Bo, Bro, Brose, Mo

Sibling Names:

Eugenie     Dorothea     Honoria     Thomasina     Rosemary     Lavinia  Valentine     Leopold     Jolyon     Augustine     Montague     Ewart

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance   Funky-Clunky   Victorian Darlings   Gorgeously Georgian   Terrifically Tudor

 

If you like Ambrose you may also like:   Augustus, Aubrey, Eustace, Cuthbert, Emlyn, Adalbert, Wallace, Bertram, Sholto, Algernon

 

Thanks to Kirstin for requesting Ambrose as this week's NotW.