British Baby Names

Name of the Week

From the almost forgotten world of Norse mythology,
this goddess' name has been raised up from rarity to fashionable
favourite in less than thirty years.  

 

Origin:

Anglicised spelling of Freyja, the Norse goddess of love, fertility, beauty, war and death, who rode a chariot drawn by two cats, wore a cloak of falcon feathers and ruled over the heavenly afterlife field, Fólkvangr, where half the warriors who died in battle were sent to reside.  The most commonly accepted theory as to the origin of Freya is that it was originally not so much a name but an epithet. Freyja and her brother Freyr were the "lord and lady" or "master and mistress" of the Vanir — his name derived from the Proto-Germanic *fraujaz "lord," hers from *frawjō "lady." But it may not be quite so straightforward. The goddess Freyja is, and has for centuries been, often confused and conflated with the Norse goddess Frigg — some even believe they may have once been the same goddess. Both goddesses of love, Freya was the most prominent female member of the Vanir gods while Frigg was the most prominent female member of the Aesir gods; Freyja's husband was Odr and Frigg's was Odin (both names thought to be from the same route); and the Vikings used both Freyjudagr (Freyja's Day) and Frijadagr (Frigg's Day) as a name for Friday. Frigg's name is commonly thought to come from the Proto-Germanic *frijjō ""beloved, dear, loving" and is possibly also the route of Freya. Confusingly, however, there is some evidence to suggest that *frawjō "lady" was also a title applied to Frigg occasionally, and we do know that the two words (*frawjō  and *frijjō) were sometimes conflated in Germanic languages.

Usage:

Freya was not used as a given name in Britain until the 19th century, which corresponds to its first use in Scandinavia. At this time, when the Victorians were obsessed with medieval romances and Arthurian legends, the Viking peoples became highly popularised in what we now call The Viking Revival. With new access to Old Norse dictionaries, scholars pored over the Icelandic sagas, quick to translate them into English for an eagerly awaiting public. Despite this fascination, the name's usage at this time was rare. The first Freya registered in England and Wales was in 1876, and another followed in 1897 (there was also a Freia in 1891). Only one Freya was registered in Scotland in the 19th century: in 1887. From that point, there was very gradually increasing usage in England and Wales each decade. 1900s: 3 births 1910s: 1 birth 1920s: 3 births 1930s: 8 births 1940s: 28 births  1950s: 24 births 1960s: 66 births 1970s: 181 births  The name began to increase considerably in the 1980s when it was averaging around 70 births per year, and rapidly increased through the 90s. In 1996, Freya ranked #118 with 394 births. It hit the Top 100 in 1998 at #93 (563 births), was #75 (686 births) in 2000, #49 (1049 births) in 2002, #33 (1605 births) in 2004, #24 (2067 births) in 2006, #21 (2228 births) in 2009 and #19 (2619 births) in 2011.  In Scotland, Freya ranked #113 in 2000, #89 (47 births) in 2001, #66 (68 births) in 2003, #33 (155 births) in 2006, #19 (212 births) in 2008, #19 in 2010 (210 births) and #15 (245 births) in 2012.  The modern Scandinavian spelling Freja is also popular in Denmark and Sweden. It has been in the Top 10 in Denmark since 2001 (and #1 in 2009) and jumped from #41 in 2010 to #19 in 2011 in Sweden.  Strangely, among English-speaking countries, Freya has almost exclusively been a British phenomenon. It has not ranked in the Top 1000 names in the US for the last 133 years, and it is only just beginning to gain notice in Australia.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Dame Freya Stark, DBE (1893—1993), British explorer and writer. Contemporary: * Freya North (b. 1967), British writer. * Freya Stafford (b. 1977), Australian actress. * Freya Murray (b. 1986), Scottish long-distance runner.

Variants:

Freja (German, Danish, Swedish), Freyja, Frea (Norse)

Pronunciation:

FRAY-ə [key]

Possible  Diminutives:

Fay

Sibling Names:

Ava    Daisy     Lauren     Megan     Lily     Ruby  Rhys     Luke     Ethan     Dylan      Lewis     Evan

Name Lists:

January Names

 

If you like Freya you may also like:   Maya, Anya, Leah, Amy, Bella, Layla, Darcy, Cerys, Keira, Lyra

 

Thanks to Crystal for requesting Freya. 

 

The Warnes of Roche

Samuel Warne and Charlotte Pollard Hawke married in July 1847 in Roche, Cornwall. Samuel was an Iron maker until his death, and afterwards Charlotte became a tailoress. Samuel was from a large family of ten children: William, Richard, Samuel, Joseph, Edna, Edmond, Edmond James, Emelyn, Edwin and Ephraim. 

The Warne Family on the 1861 census

Emeline (Emblyn) Jane Warne was the couple's first child. She was born in 1848 in Roche but sadly died the following year. She shared the same name as Samuel's youngest sister, born in 1840. 

Ormasinda Warne was born in 1852 in Roche. She has the distinction of being the only Ormasinda registered on the Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes in England and Wales from 1838-1950 (though I have found an Ormacinda, also born in Cornwall, in 1865). She did, however, had a first cousin, born in New Zealand in 1882, also named Ormasinda Warne. Ormasinda is a rare literary name, found in the play Alonzo: a tragedy in which Ormasinda is the beautiful daughter of a Spanish king. 

Aramantha Warne was born in 1856 in Keason, Cornwall. Aramantha is most commonly found as a variant of Araminta, though it is quite likely a transposed spelling of the Greek Amarantha, made famous by a poem by Richard Lovelace in 1649. Aside from this Aramantha, there were only two other girls given the name in the 1850s, and all three were born in Cornwall. From 1838 to 1950 there were only nine Aramanthas, three Aramantas, and three Aramandas overall. 

Orlando Warne was the couple's first son, born in 1858 when the family had moved to Dalton in Lancashire. Like his sisters, Orlando also shared an uncommon literary name (we can see a theme emerging). 

Marsena Warne was born in 1862, this time back in Cornwall. His name also appears in records as Marsene or Marcena. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament mentions a Marsena as one of "the seven princes of Persia and Media."

Aurelia Warne was the couple's youngest child, born in 1866 in Cornwall. 

 

Interestingly, Samuel's younger brother Edwin emigrated to New Zealand in the 1870s and he and his wife Grace had children named Celia Ann, William Edwin, Mary Emelyn, Joseph John, Grace, Emily Edna, Ormasinda, Lorenzo, Amelia Aurelia and Eva Elizabeth. 

Name of the Week

"Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules,
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these."
(The British Grenadiers) 

 

Origin:

Hector is the Latin spelling of the Ancient Greek name Hektor, traditionally given to the heroic warrior of Troy in Homer's Iliad; the elder brother of Paris and son of King Priam. As with many characters in Greek myth, Hector's name was highly appropriate to his persona and storyline. It derives from the Greek ‘εκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast," taken from the route word ἔχω (echo) "to hold, to have, to keep." In The Iliad therefore, Hector is the steadfast and virtuous commander of the Trojan army, with a strong sense of duty to his people, whom Homer describes with the words 'glorious', 'mighty', 'handsome', 'bold' and 'brave'. Hektor was also one of Zeus' many many epithets, most likely with the sense of "he who holds all." In Scotland, Hector has long been used as an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Eachann (Echdonn). Eachann itself is most likely derived from the Gaelic each "horse" and donn "brown," though it is possibly a rendering of the Old Norse name Hákon.

Usage:

That Hector of Troy was considered an important heroic figure can be seen in the name's permeation through European culture. During the Middle Ages, Hector himself was notably counted among the "Nine Worthies" — the personifications of chivalry, valour and virtue — which also included Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon, Joshua, David and Judas Maccabeus. The Nine Worthies became a popular theme in medieval literature and art throughout France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy, and so too spread the names. Hector, or Ector, also appears twice as a name in Arthurian legend: Arthur's foster-father, Sir Ector, and the half-brother of Lancelot and fellow knight, Hector de Maris.  Like most notable namesakes, Hector of Troy's fame translated into use as a first name in Britain. It was certainly used enough to establish Hector as a surname both in Britain and across Europe.  In England, Hector has always been used quite sparingly; in Scotland, however, Hector has had much more prominent usage since the Middle Ages. Undoubtedly the original use can be attributed to the fame of Hector of Troy but it was further boosted once Hector became used to render the Gaelic name Eachann. Hector Boece, a 5th century academic, was an early notable Scottish namesake, and the name was used by several prominent Scottish clans such as the Mackenzies and Munros. Indeed, the first ship bringing Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia in 1773 was even named "The Hector."  The 1841 UK census records 2,137 Hectors (89% living in Scotland, 9% in England, 2% in Wales). There were 1,924 in 1861 (83% in Scotland, 14% in England, 3% in Wales) and 2,914 in 1881 (70% in Scotland, 28% in England, 2% in Wales), which had risen to 5,948 in 1901 (45% in Scotland, 51% in England, 3% in Wales).  In 1880, Hector ranked #209 in England and Wales, and was only slightly more popular at #202 in 1890. Ten years later, however, the name was in favour, reaching #42 in 1900 and still at #89 by 1904. The reason for this sudden surge was all thanks to Major-General Sir Hector MacDonald — a notable Scottish soldier who was knighted for his efforts in the Second Boer War — a fact we can clearly see from the many boys who were given "Hector MacDonald" as their first names. Hector has also become very popular in Spain and the Spanish speaking countries of South America. It was #31 in Spain in 2011 and #69 in Chile in 2010. It isn't clear quite what sparked this usage (other than it having an appealing sound to Spanish speakers) though Hector certainly has had long usage as surname in Spain. It could easily date all the way back to the popular medieval depictions of the "Nine Worthies" — considering that Alejandro (Alexander), Julio (Julius), Arturo (Arthur) and Carl (Charlemagne) are also popular. Despite ranking at #42 in England and Wales and #25 in Scotland in 1900, by the mid-20th century Hector was well below the Top 100 across the UK.  In the last fifteen years, Hector has been steadily rising in usage in England and Wales. In 1996 the name ranked #573 (29 births), had risen to #421 (51 births) in 2001, #411 (81 births) in 2006 and #386 (103 births) in 2010. In 2011 Hector ranked #321 with 138 births. Similarly, in Scotland Hector ranked #361 (6 births) in 2006, #292 (12 births) in 2009 and #392 (8 births) in 2012. In 2012, Hector was the 14th most popular name in the Telegraph and the 20th most popular name in the Times.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Hector Boece (c. 465–536), Scottish historian, famous for writing the Historia Gentis Scotorum (History of the Scottish People). * Hector Munro, 8th of Novar (1726–1805), ninth Commander-in-Chief of India.  * Hector Berlioz (1803–1869), French composer. * Major-General Sir Hector MacDonald (1853–1903), distinguished British soldier.  * Hector Guimard (1869–1942), French architect and furniture designer. Contemporary: * Héctor Elizondo (b. 1936), American actor. * Héctor Guerrero (b.1954), Mexican professional wrestler.  Literature and Media: * Hector Hall, a superhero in the DC Comics. * Hector MacDonald, a character in Monarch of the Glen, portrayed by Richard Briers.   Other: * The Hector was the ship that brought first Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia. * Hector's dolphin is a species of dophin, found in New Zealand, named after Sir James Hector. * Eleven ships in the Royal navy have been named HMS Hector.

Variants:

Ector (Arthurian), Héctor (Spanish), Hèctor (Catalan), Ettore (Italian), Heitor (Portuguese), Hektor (German, Danish, Finnish, Swedish), Ektor (Greek)

Pronunciation:

HEK-tə [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Heck, Heckie, Toro

Sibling Names:

Penelope     Arabella     Margot     Violet     Clementine     Miranda  Cosmo     Magnus     Benedict     Alexander     Gideon     Jago

Name Lists:

Vintage Names    Upright Elegance     Demi-Gods and Mortals of Mythology    Shakespearean Names    Names from Tennyson   Names from Harry Potter

 

If you like Hector you may also like:   Felix, Caspar, Hugo, Fabian, Jasper, Oscar, Cedric, Victor, Angus, Fletcher

 

Thanks to Ella for requesting Hector.

 

Sibling Spotlight for Ezra

Below is a selection of British siblings with Ezra, from the last century to modern times. The year relates to the decade of birth for that set. 

1830s: Hannah William Ann Ezra Harriet Briggs (b) Samuel Arthur Abraham Aaron  Rufus Bentley Mary Ann  Fred    Hephzibah Ezra George Mary Ann Harriet Levi Ira  Lot    Elisha Eliza Adonijah Emma Ezra Matilda George   Ellen Ephraim Ezra Emily Naomi Berechiah   Nehemiah Moses Jabez Mercy Ezra Mary Sarah Priscilla    1840s: Jeremiah Enoch Louisa Kezia Emma Jemima Rachael Ezra & Joseph    Eli Amos Ezra Sarah Elias Hannah Tamar Enoch Lydia    Eri (b) Elizabeth Ezra Edmund Emma Joseph Jesse  Luke    Agnes Micah Abner Bilha Caleb Cephas Myra Ruth Lois Ezra Eunice  Felix Ernest    Ezra Gill Gaius Hawkins Drusilla Thomas Amos    1850s: Emily Ephraim Eli Editha Ezra Enoch William    Ezra Edward Digby Wilson   George Sarah Elizabeth Zechariah Hannah Rebecca Rhoda Celestine Simeon Nathaniel Ezra    Alfred Mira Jane Ezra Archelaus    George Harriet Philip Ezra Elijah Eliza John Kezia   Louisa Edward    1860s:  Creusa (g) Ezra Jephunneh (b) & Lois Bathsheba Sarah Minney   Elliss (b) William Coniah (b) George Jonas Henrietta Ezra Annabella Clementine    Exley (b) Fred Miranda Mary Hannah Ezra Margaret Ann Martha Elizabeth    Caroline Fanny Harriet Keturah Ezra Achan Ovi Mahala Miriam Oren Henry    Ezra Dinah Sarah Mary Zuba Jemima Rose William   1870s: Levi Noah Dinah Eve Kezia Elijah Miriam Ezra Amos    Charlotte Enoch Aaron Mark Reuben Caleb William Catherine  Lily Ezra Willis    Eliza Esther Ezra Ezra (adopted son; same age as Ezra above) Edwin Shadrach    Ezra  Algernon Rowland Eli Alexander Charles & Albert Ambrose Jeremiah Dora Eugenia Garfield  Eber Albert Laura May   1880s: Ezra Martha Barbara Augustus Octavia William Rachel Leah Grace Damaris Christopher   Evangeline Christabel Ezra John Richard E.    Gunol Moses Rachel Ezra Amelia Stella    Maude Mary Eleanor  Claude Alfred Theophilus Ezra Elijah Mercy Constance Sydney    Ezra Ada Alice Ralph

1890s: Gertrude Ethel "Ethel" Mary Ellen "Ellen" Elizabeth Jane  Ezra Richard Eva Rose  Emma Booth Ernest William  Joseph Eric J.  Green (b) Mabel Ezra Victor    George Olive Wallace Ezra Ada Major Wilfred Richard William Mary Violet  David John Cecilia Mary Elizabeth Ann Sarah Jane Eleanor Mary Evan Rachel Rose Ezra Elsie    1900s: Gertrude Morris Gladys Ezra Ethel Zerubabel Judas Aaron Shalameth Esther Cecil Stanley James Pansee Edna Blanche Clifford Cedric Clement Belvoir Pearle (g) Ezra Cyril Austin William Cynthia Mary Eric Norman    Louisa Marcella "Marcella" Magdalene Wilhelmine George Arthur Adolphine Eliza Ezra William    George  William Nelly May Daisy Ezra Lily Zoe    Eliza Sarah Hephzibah Louisa David Frederick Arthur Dorothy Esther Percival Richard Iley Elfleda  Marland Ralph & Leslie David Sylvia Gladys Jesse Leslie  Ezra James    1970s: Leroy Arnold Eric Mark Ezra David Bernice Adina    Ezra Leo Marny Beatrice   Ezra Thomas Gabriel Wilfred   1980s: Richard James Lance Francis Jacinta Magda Senga Eveline & Saul Gordon Ezra Alban  Ezra Jake Arlo Louis    Ezra Louis D. Kester Benedict R. Timothea Grace   Zachariah Samuel Hephzibah Ruth Ezra Lazarus Jerusha Rebekah   Ezra Ezekiel Solomon Christopher   1990s: Cameron Stuart  Charis Margaret Ezra James Joel Stuart    Paloma Derrica Ezra Moses   Jessye Eva Iris Mary Caitlin Olive Ezra Silas    Abigail Marina Ezra Benjamin   Ezra Malachi Azaria Poppy Aurora Tallulah   Ethan Red Ezra Indigo   Isaac Arthur Ezra Louis Reuben George Gabriel Jude   Mary Louise Ezra Jeremy Oscar Seth    Joss Gibson Ezra Blaize   Florence May Jude Michael Ezra John Pegatha Ann    Merle Harriet A. Ezra Samuel I.   Eli Daniel Angus Edward Ezra Jack & Mac William   Denika Dawn Ezra Calixte   Ezra Samuel Frida Io   Ezra Bill Rory Flynn Annabel Mae Malachi George    2000s: Dolores Lily "Dolly" Albertine Rose Blossom Lilac Mary Ezra Martin   Spike Louis Ezra Jack   Talitha Sappho Ezra Aquinas   Saskia Rebecca Jonah Issy Ezra Ben    Martha Rose Ezra Thomas    Noah Ezra Ruben    Ezra Peter Shay Roscoe    Madeline Hephzibah Ezra Owen Samuel Peter Jemimah Hope    Grace Keziah Ezra Samuel Talitha Joy   Jon Louis Ezra Matthew & Nathaniel David    Dolly Loveday Ezra Beckett (children of David Baddiel and Morwenna Banks)   2010s: Ezra James Gideon George    Jacob Francis Ezra Joseph Elijah    Ezra Thomas Beatrice Mary

This post was requested by AutumnMama.

 

Name of the Week

This royal powerhouse of the medieval world
is now riding the wave of its second revival.

 

Origin:

Matilda is the Medieval Latin form of the Old Germanic name Mahthildis, composed of the elements mahti "power, might, strength" and hildi "battle." In Medieval French the name became rendered as Mahault or Mahaud which eventually became Maud in England — the standard vernacular form during the Middle Ages.

Usage:

Matilda came over to Britain with the Normans — quite literally, in fact, as Matilda of Flanders was the queen of William the Conqueror. Matilda, famously known for being England's smallest queen, was quite an estimable woman. She played a key part in ensuring her children were highly educated and ruled Normandy in her husband's absence. And, in a time of political marriages and mistresses, William and Matilda had a remarkably equitable marriage. He is thought to have remained faithful to her and was said to have grieved her loss deeply after her death. Starting with Matilda of Flanders, there then came an almost unbroken line of four Queens of England named Matilda. Princess Edith of Scotland married Henry I of England and took her godmother/mother-in-law's (Matilda of Flanders) name, making her the second Queen Matilda of England. She was known for her piety and particular care of the poor and sick, earning her the name "Matilda the Good Queen." Henry and Matilda's daughter was also named Matilda, and when the couple's only son died in his twenties it sent the monarchy into a crisis of succession between Henry's only legitimate child, Empress Matilda (wife of the Holy Roman Emperor), and his nephew, Stephen.  Empress Matilda lived up to the meaning of her name, riding at the head of many battles to defend her right to the throne. She even managed to take control of the country in 1141, but was never officially crowned. Stephen's wife was yet another Queen Matilda (actually a first cousin of the Empress). This Matilda (of Boulogne) also lived up to the meaning of her name when she led her husband's forces after the Empress Matilda captured Stephen. In fact, the list of battle-brave Matildas goes on. Matilda of Tuscany "la Gran Contessa" (the Great Countess) is famous for her military exploits, having commanded her army in several battles against Emperor Henry III. It is said she was taught the art of horse riding, was able to wield a sword, axe, pike and lance, and had at least two suits of armour fitted for her.  The impact of having so many royal Matildas led to it being one of the most popular names from the 11th century to 14th century. Using poll tax data from ten English counties, Redmonds ranked the name as the fourth most popular name in 1377-81 behind Alice, Agnes and Joan. Though these records list the form Matilda, many of these women would have been known by vernacular forms such as Mahalt, Mahaud, Mahaut, Mald, Malt, Mault, Maude and Mold — now commonly rendered as Maud — or the pet-forms Motte, Till(a) and Tillot. These many many forms of the names led to numerous surnames, including Maud, Mahood, Malt, Maudson, Mawsom, Mold, Molson, Mott, Mowat, Till, Tillett, Tillison, Tillotson and Madison (though this could also derive from Matthew).  However, by the late 15th century Matilda was in steep decline and by the 16th century it was quite uncommon. So much so that even in the extensive frequency tables from 1538-1700 by Smith-Bannister the name Matilda does not appear in any given decade. After languishing for two centuries, Matilda was reinvented again in the 18th century, flourishing especially in the 19th century with the Victorians' love of everything medieval. Part of this trend also brought Maud back into usage, which went on to become even more popular than Matilda.  In 1880, Matilda ranked #59 in England and Wales; it fell to #79 in 1890 and was #97 in 1900, after which point it dropped out of the Top 100. The name was also #66 in Scotland in 1900, but similarly fell out of the Scottish Top 100 in the following years. Indeed, Matilda never made it into the Top 100 throughout the whole of the 20th century, and from 1930 to 1960 it was given to only 2 girls in every 10,000 born each year.  Maud lasted a little longer, having reached a higher peak of popularity in England and Wales than Matilda managed. Maud ranked #28 in 1880, #24 in 1890. #40 in 1900, #49 in 1904 and #64 in 1914, after which it fell out of fashion.  After this (once again) century-long spell out of favour, Matilda is now in its second revival. In 2000 in England and Wales, Matilda ranked #143 (323 births). By 2004 it had risen to #107 (494 births) and finally cracked the Top 100 again in 2005 at #89 (620 births). From then it continued to rise until 2009 when it reached #46 (1,285 births). In 2011, Matilda ranked at #48 with 1,225 births in England and Wales, and #158 in Scotland with 27 births. In 2012, Matilda was the second most popular name in both the Telegraph and Times birth announcements.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Saint Matilda (892—968), Holy Roman Empress, wife of Henry I the Fowler, King of the East Franks. * Matilda of Flanders (c. 1031—1083), Queen of England, wife of William I of England. * Matilda of Tuscany (1046—1114), Countess of Tuscany and military leader.  * Matilda of Scotland (c. 1080—1118), Queen of England, wife of Henry I of England. * Empress Matilda (1102—1167), daughter of Henry I and de facto Queen of England in 1141 * Matilda of Boulogne (1104—1152), Queen of England, wife of Stephen of England. * Matilda (or Mafalda) of Savoy (1125—1158), First Queen of Portugal, wife of Afonso I.  * Mathilda d'Orozco (1796—1863), Italian -born Swedish composer. * Mathilda Rotkirch (1813—1842), considered to be the first female artist in Finland. * Matilda Joslyn Gage (1826—1898), American suffragist and abolitionist. Contemporary: * Mathilda May (b. 1965), French film actress. * Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant (b. 1973), wife of HRH Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, heir apparent to the Belgian throne. * Matilda Rose Ledger (b. 2005), daughter of Heath Ledger Michelle Williams. Literature and Other Media: * Matilda Wormwood, title character in Roald Dahl's Matilda. * Mathilda, a novella by Mary Shelley. * Matilda, a song made famous by Harry Belafonte. Other: Waltzing Matilda, famous Australian folk song. Matilda was used as Australian slang for a traveller's bag of goods, hense waltzing Matilda meant 'someone travelling on foot with his goods'.

Variants:

Mathilda (Variant), Mathilde (French, German, Dutch), Matilde (Spanish, Portuguese), Matylda (Polish), Mafalda (Italian, Portuguese), Mechteld (Dutch), Mallt (Welsh)

Pronunciation:

mə-TILD-ə [key]

Possible  Diminutives:

Dilly, Maddy, Mai, Mally, Matty, Maud, Milla, Milly, Tally, Tilda, Tilly

Sibling Names:

Amelia     Imogen     Catherine     Emmeline     Isabella     Victoria  Oscar     Edward     Henry      James     Louis     George

Name Lists:

Medieval Favourites   Gorgeously Georgian   Victorian Darlings   Royal Names   Royal Names of Europe   Names from Jane Austen    Names from Tennyson   Names from the Bronte Sisters    Dickensian Names   Strong Names for Girls   Names of Roses

 

If you like Matilda you may also like:   Beatrice, Alexandra, Martha, Eleanor, Cecilia, Philippa, Tabitha, Florence, Georgina, Annabel

 

Thanks to Misha for requesting Matilda. 

 

Top 200 Most Popular Names in England and Wales in 1880

Following from the statistics I compiled for the Top 200 names in 1900 and the Top 200 names in 1890, I have finally finished compiling the rankings for the most popular births in England and Wales in 1880 from the original scanned pages of the England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915. 

Disclaimer: It should be noted that the data is not without its flaws. Births were originally recorded by a registrar (in their own handwriting) which were later typed up into the register. Some names are invariably recorded incorrectly and it is impossible to know where the mistake was made. Also, I have been compiling the ranks myself, and while I have endeavored to record the number of names as accuarely as possible I am also liable to human error. This, however, should not affect the rankings very much overall.
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The Top 200 names in England and Wales in 1880: 

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 119 119 122 122 124 124 126 126 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 134 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 153 153 156 157 157 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 166 166 169 169 169 169 173 174 174 174 177 178 178 180 181 181 183 183 183 186 187 187 189 190 190 192 193 193 195 196 196 198 198 198

William John George Thomas James Charles Arthur Henry Frederick Joseph Albert Alfred Ernest Robert Walter Edward Herbert Harry Frank Richard Samuel David Fred Francis Percy Edwin Benjamin Sidney Harold Tom Sydney Leonard Daniel Edgar Horace Peter Alexander Isaac Reginald Willie Hugh Stephen Philip Michael Matthew Bertie Christopher Edmund Lewis Ralph Patrick Andrew Archibald Wilfred Evan Jesse Louis Cecil Stanley Mark Bertram Sam Percival Hubert Owen Bernard Abraham Oliver Reuben Frederic Gilbert Joe Norman Jonathan Martin Joshua Wilfrid Lawrence Charlie Victor Maurice Cyril Eli Josiah Jacob Amos Rowland Anthony Enoch Arnold Elijah Howard Cornelius Augustus Lionel Douglas Nicholas Wallace Timothy Allen Clement Moses Ben Griffith Levi Job Adam Charley Ellis Clifford Roland Oswald Gerald Morris Paul Claud Clarence Oscar Aaron Claude Ebenezer Ambrose Donald Rupert Vincent Jeremiah Rees Allan Dennis Nathan Luke Llewellyn Elias Laurence Solomon Morgan Nathaniel Jabez Austin Roger Simon Noah Montague Raymond Emmanuel Cuthbert Ivor Ephraim Theodore Jim Harvey Alan Abel Isaiah Vernon Septimus Kenneth Leslie Wilson Aubrey Archie Denis Lancelot Ronald Nelson Basil Caleb Seth Algernon Geoffrey Guy Humphrey Leopold Miles Phillip Simeon Godfrey Luther Valentine Malcolm Eric Israel Ezra Felix Jonas Eugene Hedley Silas Theophilus Horatio Willis Ethelbert Colin Emanuel Gwilym Spencer Vivian  Harrison Jonah Sampson

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 89 92 93 94 94 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 132 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 141 143 144 144 144 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 153 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 168 170 170 172 173 174 175 176 176 178 179 180 181 182 182 184 185 186 187 187 189 190 190 192 193 194 195 195 197 198 198 200

Mary Elizabeth Alice Sarah Annie Florence Edith Margaret Ellen Emily Ada Jane Ethel Emma Eliza Ann Louisa Martha Clara Hannah Catherine Gertrude Harriet Kate Agnes Rose Beatrice Maud Lily Mabel Frances Minnie Lilian Amy Charlotte Lucy Fanny Jessie Eleanor Caroline Bertha Maria Isabella Laura Esther Nellie Amelia May Grace Eva Lizzie Rosa Ruth Anne Susan Bessie Rachel Winifred Matilda Julia Rosina Susannah Rebecca Lydia Helen Elsie Daisy Violet Henrietta Flora Hilda Selina Dorothy Phoebe Sophia Dora Janet Lillie Betsy Eveline Isabel Harriett Olive Blanche Nelly Lilly Georgina Constance Anna Marion Rhoda Maggie Ida Helena Louise Miriam Evelyn Bridget Marian Leah Adelaide Lavinia Priscilla Rosanna Rosetta Mildred Kathleen Nora Catharine Ella Theresa Maude Nancy Lillian Cecilia Susanna Barbara Millicent Lottie Christina Polly Katie Blanch Katherine Norah Christiana Hetty Muriel Letitia Adeline Alma Emmeline Marie Gladys Jemima Lena Carrie Jenny Phillis Johanna Florry Josephine Madeline Dinah Mercy Thirza Augusta Florrie Effie Lois Hester Celia Irene Margaretta Myra Edna Teresa Ruby Lotty Georgiana Naomi Cicely Katharine Marguerite Prudence Jennie Eunice Clarissa Victoria Gwendoline Lizzy Leonora Phebe Eda Margery Deborah Honora Gwenllian Sylvia Ivy Betty Louie Sybil Dorothea Clarice Alberta Linda Wilhelmina Kezia Dorcas Sabina Angelina Evelina Christine Abigail Violetta Florie Betsey Hephzibah Faith

                                                   Statistics compiled by Eleanor Nickerson at britishbabynames.com
                                                              No unauthorised copying without credit or permission.

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The #1 names for boys and girls remain the same for 1900, 1890 and 1880: William and Mary. What is different is the declining number of children given these names over that time period: 

William
1880 - 50,525 births
1890 - 45,925 births
1900 - 44,912 births

Mary
1880 - 39,612 births
1890 - 27,802 births
1900 - 22,194 births

Compare that to the 8,427 boys named Oliver and 5,297 girls named Olivia in 2010 and we can see how our concept of "popular" no longer means what it once did.

The most marked difference between 1880 and 1890 can be found in the name Doris which we can clearly see was an "it" name in the 1890s. It was #3 in 1904, #10 in 1900 (11,354 births), #76 in 1890 (863 births) but wasn't even in the Top 300 in 1880 with only 12 births.

For boys, Jack and Gordon — #87 and #96 in 1890 — also did not rank in the Top 200 in 1880. 

 

Name of the Week

Faramond is to the Franks, what Arthur is to the Britons.
If your looking for a semi-mythical legend that is rarely used,
Faramond's your man.

 

Origin:

From the Old Germanic dithematic (two-part) name Faramund. The first element is descended from the Proto-Germanic *faranan meaning "to journey, to travel" which moved into the Old High German, Old Norse and Old English languages. It is, in fact, the origin of the English verb "to fare" and the noun "a fare" (payment for passage) and can also be found in names such as Ferdinand and Farnulf.  The second element is mund "protection, hand, guardian," a word used in Old High German, Old Norse and Old English, and related to the Latin manus "hand, strength, power over." This was quite likely an auspicious word, as it is found in several well known names: Edmund, Raymund, Rosamund, Osmund, Sigmund. Faramond, Faramund and Pharamond are all common spellings of the name.

Usage:

According to Frankish legend, Faramond was the first king of the Franks who brought about Salic law. His history is a little sketchy and debate still runs rife whether he was a real figure or not. The history of Faramond is mentioned in the Liber Historiae Francorum, written around 727, which tells of brothers Sunno and Marchomir, once Frankish war leaders who engaged in many skirmishes with the Romans. After Sunno's death, Marchomir united the Franks together by electing his own son, Faramond, to be their first king. Where the Liber Historiae Francorum falls down is its claim that Marchomir was the son of Priam, the legendary King of Troy. This certainly smacks of a little genealogical engineering as, from this point on, Frankish rulers claimed Trojan descent. But whether Faramond existed or not little matters, as his name became the stuff of legend and romance. Pharamond is the king of France in the Prose Tristan — an adaptation of the legend of Tristan and Isolde. Shakespeare mentions Pharamond in Henry V and Handel wrote a whole opera (Faramondo) about the legendary king, which was followed by several other French operas entitled Pharamond or Faramond.  As a literary name, it was used several times in the 17th and 18th century. There is a principle character named Pharamond in the popular Jacobean play Philaster, while Faramond (1661) was a popular French heroic romance.  The name seems to have had some real use in France in the Middle Ages as surnames such as Pharamond and de Faramond are still in use today in France. There is, however, little evidence for its use as a first name in France over the last few centuries, perhaps because the name did not conform to Frances once strict name laws.  The 1861 UK census lists four males named Faramond and one Pharamond, all living in central England and under the age of 30. Faramonds are even harder to find on the Birth Index, which lists no Faramonds at all from 1838-1950 and only three Pharamonds: one in 1864, 1874 and 1891. Since the 1950s I have only been able to find two examples of Faramond on birth registers in Britain, both of which were as middle names.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Faramond (fl. 4th century), legendary first king of the Franks. * Faramund (fl. 8th century), bishop of Colonia Agrippina c.710-713. * Johannes Pharamond Rhumelius (1597–1661), German alchemist and physician. * Pharamond Blanchard (1805–1873), French painter. Literature and Media: * Father Faramund, a character in the silent chamber-drama The Haunted Castle (1921) * Pharamond, a character in The Sandman comic book.

Variants:

Faramund (Germanic), Pharamond (French), Faramondo (Italian)

Pronunciation:

FA-rə-mund [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Ari, Farry, Freddie, Mondy

Sibling Names:

Belisent     Constanza     Eleonore     Genoveva     Rowena     Ailith  Enzio     Corentin     Alaric     Wolfram     Casimir     Ludovic

 

If you like Faramond you may also like:   Ferdinand, Calixtus, Erasmus, Rolando, Landolph, Theodoric, Ranulph, Leopold, Ottokar, Nicodemus

 

Thanks to J for requesting Faramond.

 

'Twas Ever Thus

In the late 18th and 19th century  talk about names often bandied the phrase "romantic names" around. From all I can glean, it was used generally as a euphemism for any name considered slightly fanciful or outlandish, in much the same way "creative names" or "unique names" are used today.

The phrase appears in 1776 in Oliver Goldsmith's popular novel The Vicar of Wakefield. 

Our eldest son was named George, after his uncle, who left us ten thousand pounds. Our second child, a girl, I intended to call after her aunt Grissel; but my wife, who during her pregnancy had been reading romances, insisted upon her being called Olivia. In less than another year we had a daughter again, and now I was determined that Grissel should be her name; but a rich relation taking a fancy to stand godmother, the girl was, by her directions, called Sophia; so that we had two romantic names in the family; but I solemnly protest I had no hand in it.

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Several other works of fiction over the years have contained much the same idea:

Hyacinth! It’s the silliest name I ever heard of; but it’s hers, and I must call her by it.[...]‘And the worst is, she’s gone and perpetuated her own affected name by having her daughter called after her. Cynthia! One thinks of the moon, and the man in the moon with his bundle of faggots. I’m thankful you’re plain Molly, child.’  Elizabeth Gaskell       Wives and Daughters (1864)

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'Euphemia; it isn't a name common people would give a girl, is it?' 'It isn't the name any decent people would give to a girl,' said Buggins, 'common or not.' 'Lor!' said Kipps. 'Why?' 'It's giving girls names like that,' said Buggins, 'that nine times out of ten makes 'em go wrong. It unsettles 'em. If ever I was to have a girl, if ever I was to have a dozen girls, I'd call 'em all Jane. Every one of 'em. You couldn't have a better name than that. Euphemia, indeed! What next?...Good Lord!... H. G. Wells     Kipps (1905)

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'It's Lucia.' How could he have forgotten the absurd pretentious name? She had confided to him in the corner of a warehouse that she had a brother named Roderick. Her father was responsible. He was a great reader of the obscurer classics. Graham Greene       England Made Me (1935)

..
The idea was, of course, also then picked up in essays and newspapers. Strangely, although we now tend to associate fanciful names with the aristocracy, it is the working classes who get the brunt of critism in much of the commentary.

The practice of romantic names among persons, even of the lowest orders of society, has become a very general evil: and doubtless many unfortunate beauties, of the names of Clarissa and Eloisa, might have escaped under the less dangerous appellatives of Elizabeth or Deborah. Isaac Disraeli   Influence of a Name in Curiosities of Literature Vol 2 (1791—1823)

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[...]Apropos of romantic names, I have it from a registrar of great experience that these are enormously affected by the lower orders, who get them from the romances in the penny papers. Their taste in this way, however, generally receives two checks. In the first place, they can seldom pronounce the names they admire; and in the second, they nine times out of ten fail in their efforts to set them down on paper with anything like an approximation to correct spelling.  The name of the Empress of the French has an enormous fascination for young mothers of romantic views and restricted means. They think Eugénie delicious; nor do they appear conscious that it loses anything of its delicate sweetness when pronounced "You Jenny!"                                           The Bradford Observer                                                     May 6, 1869

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[...]Ben Jonson brought the pretty classical name Earine into English use. But this name loses its beauty when it is mispronounced, as it often is by those unaquainted with the classics. It should be in four syllables, with the accent on on the second. But that it has turned into two syllables by uneducated people is evident. [...]    The female novelists of the present day have exhausted almost every form of female appellation; and the worse the writer, the more far-fetched and high-flown are the names.                                                  The Graphic                                       (London), November 16, 1878

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There was at least one supporter, however, from the Woman's Page in the Great Eastern Railway Magazine in November 1912.

Are we naming our daughters too fancifully? I am inclined to sympathise with the feeling that makes poor parents who have perforce to live in some soulless slum, seek for something sweet and wholesome, even if it be only a name, and I have given up moralising when I hear such a one called Doris or Ivy. It is ever so much better than condemning them to the hackneyed Mary Ann which seem to rob them of all chance. I like the flowers and gems, but I do not care about the mythological names such as Diana, Psyche and the like — they seem too heathenish.

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River Names

Rivers are among the most ancient names of the British isles. They predate most of our placenames and certainly predate all our established surnames and first names. One of the reasons they are so enduring is partly due to the essential part they played in a community's survival. Their names often became the heart of the evolving settlements, and the names of the cities and towns that exist today.

There is also a long established connection between given names and river names. Many river names were originally derived from ancient deities, as with the Irish river Boyne, which most likely derives its name from the Celtic goddess Boann. Alternatively, some first names we use, such as Aled or Clyde, directly come from the names of rivers.

Listed below is a selection of rivers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland that either already are, or have potential as first names. 

Aeron Aline Allander Allen Allow Alwin Alyn Annalee Anton Arban Arran Arrow Ash Avon Bain Bedw Bedwyn Belah Blythe Bourne Boyd

Boyne Bran Bray Brent Brue Calder Callan Cam Carron Cary Cassley Ceri Chess Clare Clyde Cole Colne Colwyn Connor Conon Corve

Cynon Dane Daron Dee Derry Derwent Devon Douglas Dove Eden Einion Eitha Elan Ellen Ely Endrick Evelix Ewenny Faseny Fflur Finn

Garry Glem Gowan Greta Hannon Hayle Irvine Isis Isla Ive Jed Kale Keer Keltie Kelty Kelvin Kemp Kenly Kensey Kerry Kyle

Kym Lark Lea Leith Leri Leven Llia Lox Lyde Lyn Maree Marlais Medina Merin Mersey Ness Orrin Perry Polly Quinny Ray

Rea Rhondda Roe Senni Shannon Shira Talla Tamar Tay Teifi Teign Teviot  Tiddy Tirry Tora Trent Trystion Tyne  Valency Waveney  Wen