Fun, fiesty and fabulous!
(though I am very biased)
One of those elusive names that is well known, but little used.
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Origin: |
From the Latin mirandus "worthy of admiration, admirable." It derives from the route word miror "to wonder, marvel, be astonished, be amazed, admire," from which we get the English word miracle. The English word for 'admire' also comes from the related Latin words admiror and admirandus. |
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Usage: |
One of the earliest record found of Miranda as a name comes from Shakespeare's play The Tempest (written 1610-11). He has, therefore, been widely credited with the invention of the name, however, there are a few tantalising records of the name already in use. There is one lone reference to a woman named Admiranda in the Feet of Fines for Kent, 1231-32. Even more teasingly, an obscure reference appears in 14th century Périgueux, France dated 1366-1367, though it isn't certain whether it is a first name. It could be a surname, as during this same time, France and Spain used miranda as a word (derived from the Vulgate Latin mirare "to see") which meant "watchtower" or "vantage point." Consequently, several places cropped up with the name — Mirande in Southern France, Miranda del Ebro in northern Spain, and Miranda do Douro in Portugal. These place names led the use of Miranda as a surname. It is impossible to say whether the Bard coined it himself straight from the Latin, or whether he was inspired by existing names. The first examples of Miranda as a name in "proper" use can be found in baptisms dated to the late 17th century (the earliest I have managed to find was in Worcester in 1679). The name increased in usage over the 18th century, although was not especially common. The 1841 UK census lists 179 females names Miranda (in various spellings) — 178 of whom lived in England, one in Wales and none in Scotland. The number had risen to 418 in 1861 (99% living in England, 1% in Wales), 879 in 1881, and 1,040 in 1901. Throughout the 19th century, usage of the name in England was maintained, with a peak mid-century. It declined at the beginning of the 20th century, but picked up in usage in the 1940s. 1840: 9 births The name remained in this higher usage throughout the rest of the 20th century, with a particular peak in the 1990s. In 1996, Miranda ranked #313 in England and Wales with 113 births. From that point on, the name has gradually declined in usage, and in 2010 the name ranked #862 with 41 births. The name has been much more popular in the US and Australia. Miranda reached the Top 100 in America in 1991 at #90, hitting its peak at #57 in 1995. Since then, just like here, the name has been on a steady decline. Miranda has also been in Sweden's Top 100 from 1998 to 2009. In 2011, Miranda ranked #894 (40 births) in England and Wales, and #1421 (1 birth) in Scotland. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Miranda Hill (1836—1910), British social reformer and founder of the Kyrle Society; a forerunner of the National Trust. Contemporary: * Miranda Richardson (b.1958), award winning British actress. Literature and Media: * Miranda, a principal character in Shakespeare's The Tempest. Other: * Miranda, the eleventh moon of Uranus. |
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Pronunciation: |
mə-RAN-ə [key] |
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Possible |
Mand, Manda, Mandy, Mia, Mir, Mira, Miri, Panda, Randa, Randy |
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Sibling Names: |
Arabella Juliet Emilia Lyra Clemency Eleanor |
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Name Lists: |
Upright Elegance Shakespearean Names Astronomical Names Names from Harry Potter Names of Roses |
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This post is for my sister Miranda, because today is her birthday.
