British Baby Names

Sibling Spotlight for Minnie

Below is a selection of British siblings with Minnie, from the last century to modern times.

The year relates to the decade of birth for that set. Brackets around the first name indicates that the person was called by their middle name. All names reflect the full name on their official birth entry. 

1820s: Cecilia John Janet Minnie David Walter Alexander Jean George Margaret   1830s: Charlotte Henry Aaron Minnie James Martha   Bethia Jane Jennet Minnie Margaret   Emma Minnie William Catherine   Colin Minnie James Dugald   1840s: Amelia Sophia Minnie Henry   Minnie Caroline Augusta Louisa John Beverley Strachan Napier Christopher Conway   Henrietta Elizabeth "Betsy" Daniel Jane Frank Sarah Minnie   1850s: Minnie Rosie Laura Elizabeth Marcus   Rosina Elizabeth Ann James Arthur Frederick William Minnie B Alexandra Louisa Clotilda   Caroline Hermione "Minnie"  Sophia Ada Ann   William Augustus Ray Amelia Celia Augustine Emily Florence Minnie Alvina Lily Moneta   1860s: (John) Morris Elizabeth Emma "Lissie" Minnie Kate Nellie   Richard Eva Clara  Robert Henry Sarah Ann Clifford Minnie   Forest James Trevor Ernest Henrietta Beatrice Minnie Gertrude Ada Augusta   1870s: Alice Hannah Jessie (g) Minnie Charles Edward Mabel Maria Florey Tabitha  Herbert S   Minnie Nellie Mabel Beatrice Ada Lottie   Samuel  Edward Ada Florence Lillie Abigail Minnie Alice Jane John Lettice "Lettie" Beatrice "Bessie"   1880s: Temperance Eve Clara Caroline Alfred Minnie Christopher   Oscar Hilda Ada Florence Lizzie Eleanor Minnie Victor May   Eliza Mary Albert Edward Madeline Agnes Annie Louisa Minnie May Lottie Constance   Minnie Ethelwynne Edith Bessie Dorothy Minchin James Minchin Douglas Dalrymple Ken Arthur   1890s: Temperance Edith Minnie Louisa Alice Sabina Walter John Thomas William May Ellen Fred Howard   John James George Edmund Emma Mary Arthur William Minnie Lavinia Florence Ena Harry Fred Betsy   Minnie Morris Lena Emmanuel Julius Abe Max Rose Lily

1900s: Catherine William Elizabeth Rosa Alfred Annie Minnie Tabitha Walter Harry Stanley   Alfred Roper Lucy Margaret Mabel Jane Minnie Florence Elsie Mark Henry Harold James Robert Percival Charles   Minnie Pretoria Florence Ellen "Florrie" Winifred Mercy Stanley Frederick   Minnie Isabel Beatrice Maud Arthur Herman Lilian Julia Florence Elizabeth Grace Gladys   1980: Spike Alan P Polly Freddie Caroline Lily Daisy Doris Flo May & Minnie Harriet   Henry David Leonard Terry Owen Tinker Minnie Dandelion   Sky Elenor Josh Edward Minnie Lily R   1990s: Minnie Apphia Rose Patience Elizabeth Ann   Holly Eleanor India Rose Ruby Ellen Minnie Kerensa Scarlett Miggy   Minnie Alex Joe Etienne Luca Albert   Minnie Bluebell H E Misty Bobby F   Posy Sheraton Minnie Alys Oscar James   Moti Ann  Connie Jane Minnie Alice Kofi Mai   Maisie Laura Matilda Rose Minnie Jemima   Anoushka Lily Nina Chloe Minnie May   Sonny Boy Robert Bluebell Eden Minnie Moonbeam F   Molly Pia Minnie Amelia   2000s: Eliza May Minnie Florence Frederick Arthur   Ava Emily Minnie Mae   Izzey Gemma & Minnie Jessica (twins)   Cain George Minnie Eve   Izaak Allan "Zaki" Myfanwy May "Minnie" Sydney Maurice   Joely Rose Ava Belle Minnie May   Minnie Jane Snoo George William Patrick   Minnie Meda Lottie Sara Coco Kate Edward Rex Douglas   Wallace Alexander Minnie Alice   Minnie Jean E Edward Tigger   Tom Charles Edward Henry Minnie Penelope Freddie William Minnie Florence   Minnie Isabella R Honor Pollyanna V & Thomas Alfred Y (twins) Albert Harold F   Emilia Flora "Minnie" Hebe Eloise   Billy James Minnie Marie   Minnie Love Heidi Sunshine Laurence Happy John Owen   2010s: Florence Lillia "Florrie" Minnie Bridget   Iona Faith Seren Eliza Joy & Minnie Etana Hope (twins)   Leo Hugh Minnie Anne

This post was requested by Name Nerd.

UK Birth Announcements 1/9/14 - 7/9/14

A compilation of names from BAs announced in newspapers in the last week, including a national paper (Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales and Scotland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Alister Alexander (Freya & Lauren)

Blair Andrew (Isla Oonagh)

Caio Wyn Hari (Cian Rhys)

Caleb Alexander

Daniel Neil

Dominic Cole (Willow Skye)

Douglas Jardine

Edward George (Benjamin & William Andrew "Will")

Fearghus Donal

Finlay Andrew (Ellie, Chloe & Joseph)

George Edward (Ella)

George Montgomery (Emily Olivia)

George Samuel Steven

Harry Gordon

Harry Joseph

Ivan Anthony (Ava Grace)

Jacob Christopher

Joseph Daniel Peter (Francesca Marie)

Joshua Thomas

Julian Nicholas William (Annie Isabel Meredith)

Ledua Anthony Philip

Max Richard

Moir Cameron Allan

Ramsay Alexander (Abbie & Darcey)

Ted Paul John (Thea Matilda Susan)

Theodore Andrew Isaac

Thomas Stephen

William Edward Jack

William Lucas

 

Girls:

Arabella Georgina

Beatrice Catherine Mary (Phoebe Florence Elizabeth)

Cristina Rachel (Elena Kaitlyn)

Elodie Eve (Madeleine & Arianna)

Emily Grace

Emily Jessie (James)

Evie Charlotte

Fallon-Rose (Ava)

Farrah Charlotte (Halle Elizabeth)

Flora Rosina (Arthur Gordon)

Georgia Grace (Harriet Elizabeth)

Grace Isabel (Abigail Rose)

Hazel Mary (Lewis Daniel)

Heidi Lorraine

Iris Elizabeth (Austin Edward & Robin James)

Iris Ella (Esme Olive)

Leni Grace

Lilah Grace Sarah

Lili Martha

Millie Rose (Ella)

Mirren Honor (Sam David)

Olivia Mairead

Olivia Rose

Pearl Otillia (Pheobe)

Poppy Isla (Emelia)

Rosie Alice

Summer Grace

Suzannah Leigh

 

Twins:

Mia Catherine & Max Stuart William (Jessica Margaret)

 

Name of the Week

Though the anglicised Meredith may now be more
common for girls, original Welsh Maredudd is all male.

 

Origin:

Maredudd is a traditional Welsh name, derived from the earlier old Welsh form Morgetiud. The last element is certainly the Old Welsh iudd "lord." The first part is debated. It is could a combination of the Proto Celtic *mfro "great" (maur in Middle Welsh) and kato "battle," therefore meaning "great battle lord." Alternatively, it could derive from the Proto-Celtic mrogi "territory, border, region," therefore "border lord."  Welsh names stress the penultimate syllable, therefore Maredudd is mə-RED-idth. As the 'a' was an unstressed vowel, it was from an early time shorted to M'RED-ith. It was anglicised as Meredith — now the most common form of the name — though the modern English pronunciation was changed to ME-re-dith, with the stress on the first syllable. In Wales the original pronunciation is still preserved.

Usage:

Maredudd has been in use since at least the 10th century, while the older form, Morgetiud dates to at least the 8th century. The name was well used and established among medieval Welsh royalty and several early kings bore the name.  As Wales had a patronymic system, men with father's named Maredudd were automatically titled "ab Maredudd." Some Welshmen who moved to England brought the name with them, and it quickly became established as a hereditary surname there long before the practice was a adoped in Wales. Therefore we find the anglicised surnames Meredith and Meredyth in use from at least the 15th century.  The common diminutive for Maredudd is Bedo which also produced a multitude of surnames including Beddow(s), Beddoe(s), Beddowes and Peddow. A derivative of Bedo itself is Bedyn which is also still in use.  By the 18th century most Welsh names, even within Wales, were anglicised. Gruffudd was Griffith, Ifan was Evan and Maredudd was almost always Meredith. By this time, Meredith was well established as a surname across Britain. In England its pronunciation was changed to the English convention of stressing the first syllable, however it is important to note that Meredith was (and is still) pronounced mə-RED-idth in Wales.  Meredith continued in use as a traditional given name within Wales. It was adopted as a surname in England and Scotland from the 17th century onwards largely thanks to the adoption of the surname.  Data from the 1881 census (right) shows that as a given name, Meredith was particularly concentrated in the Welsh marshes, corresponding to use of the surname.  The name increased in use as a given name throughout the 19th century as census data shows: 1851: 291 males, 10 female 1861: 297 males, 17 female 1871: 332 males, 8 females 1881: 396 males, 16 females 1891: 362 males, 15 females 1901: 476 males, 20 females 1911: 1032 males, 45 females Meredith was in steadily consistent but low use in the 20th century. It became more commonly used for girls than boys outside of Wales, mostly thanks to American influence. In the US Meredith dropped out of the top 1000 for boys in 1954, however it continued to increase for girls, reaching the top 200 in the 1970s.  Since 1996, Maredudd has not ranked in the official data (more than 3 births) in England and Wales. Birth records, however, show that it has been used sporadically. Meredith has ranked once officially for boys in England and Wales when it was given to 3 babies in 1998. For girls, the name has ranked consistently, becoming more popular and steady since 2007.  In 2013, Meredith ranked #663 (60 births) for girls.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Maredudd ap Tewdwr / Morgetiud map Teudos (d. c. 797), a king of Dyfed. * Maredudd ab Owain (d. 999), king of Deheubarth. * Maredudd ap Bleddyn (1047–1132), a king of Powys. * Maredudd ab Owain ab Edwin (d. 1072), a prince of the kingdom of Deheubarth. * Maredudd ap Gruffydd (1130–1155), a prince of the kingdom of Deheubarth. * Maredudd ap Rhobert (d. 1244), a ruler of Cedewain * Maredudd ap Rhys, a 15th century Welsh poet.  * Meredith Frampton, (1894–1984), British painter, son of sculptor George Frampton. * (Robert) Meredith Willson (1902-1984), American composer, songwriter, conductor, and playwright. Contemporary: * Meredith MacRae (b. 1944), American actress. * Meredith Baxter (b. 1947), American actress. Literature and Other Media: * Meredith Blake, a (male) character in Agatha Christie's novel Five Little Pigs (1942). * Meredith Gordon, a (female) character in the TV series Heroes. * Meredith Grey, a (female) character in TV medical drama Grey's Anatomy.

Variants:

Maredydd, Meredith

Pronunciation:

mə-RED-idth [key]

Possible diminutives:

Bedo, Bedyn, Mads, Mars, Red

Sibling Names:

Gwenllian     Angharad     Ceridwen     Guinevere     Arianwen     Maggie  Taliesin     Gruffudd     Tarquin     Llewelyn     Brynmor     Caradoc

Name Lists:

Clunky Celtic

 

If you like Maredudd you may also like:   Aneirin, Finbarr, Murdoch, Emrys, Iorwerth, Glendower, Rhydderch, Meurig, Gwilym, Meriadoc

 

Thanks to Euphemia for requesting this post.

 

Hello Dolly!: A rising trend for 2013

Even though they didn't make the top 20 list of names which had moved up the most in 2013, one thing I particularly noticed about the recent England and Wales data release was the number of "Dol" names that had shot onto the scene. 

Forget Molly and Holly, Dolly is the new dainty diva on the stage! With her trendy two syllable + ee ending and sassy namesakes like Dolly Parton and Barbra Streisand's Dolly Levi there's a lots to love about Dolly. 

 

 

Dolly

In 2013, Dolly moved up almost 200 places from #473 (93 births) in 2012 to #276 (171 births). It's popularity shows a steep upward curve (right) and has come a long way since it was given to only 3 babies in 2000. 

Alternative spelling Dollie is also on the upswing, moving from #1525 (20 births) to #1018 (35 births).

2013 also saw hyphenations Dolly-Rose, Dolly-May, Dolly-Mae and Dolly-Marie rank higher than ever before, and Dolly-Rae, Dollie-Rose and Dollie-Mae rank for the first time ever. 

Chantelle Houghton and Alex Reid welcomed their daughter Dolly in September 2012 which helped give the name more exposure. 

 

Dolcie

If Dolly is too informal for your taste, how about Dolcie? Part Dolly, but with the familiar ending of Lucy, Macey, Lacey and Casey. This variant of sweet Dulcie also moved up over 200 places in 2013, overtaking Dulcie for the first time. 

In 2012, Dolcie ranked #731 (55 births) which rose to #509 (82 births) in 2013. 

 

Dorothy

Dolly was originally coined as a nickname for Dorothy and it, too, has been on an upward incline. With either Dolly, Dottie or Dora as potential nicknames, seriously vintage Dorothy has heaps of versatility as well as refined elegance. 

In 2013 it moved up over 300 places from #709 (58 births) to #397 (107 births). 

Theodora (#750) and Isadora (#999) are also on an upward curve. 

 

Dahlia

Though not quite a "Dol-" name, Dahlia fits the similar D-L pattern and is also rising. Perhaps we can thank American sitcom Suburgatory? 

In 2012 Dahlia ranked #1525 with 20 births. In 2013 it broke the top 1000 at #959 with 38 births. 

 

And Dahlia isn't the only D-L name enjoying a boost. Check out the graphs for Delilah (#214) and Delia (#1433): 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, keep a weather eye open for Dolly and her sisters. She might just creep up on us all.