British Baby Names

UK Birth Announcements 21/3/16 - 27/3/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Cacey (Caitlyn & Clayton)

Calley Maguire

Daan

Ethan James

Fergus William

George Digby (Henry & Arabella Beatrix)

George William (Isabella Mary)

Harry John Stephen

Henry Reginald (Octavia Alice)

Iori Siôn

Isaac Stephen John

Jackson David

Jonjo Charlie Hugh (Isabelle, Herbert "Herbie" & Barnaby "Barney")

Kerr John (Lewis)

Khalif James

Noah Alexander John

Riley James

Sebastian Arthur Vandeleur (Wilbur Alfred Beaumont & Jake Oliver Seymour)

Toby William (Grace & Jake)

 

Girls:

Agnes Olivia (Cosima Molly & William Giles Tricks "Billy")

Agnes Sophia Loveday

Alice Rose

Annabelle Grace (Henry)

Arabella Edith Rose

Audrey Olive

Ava Grace (Harrison)

Beatrice Imogen Rose

Bella Rose

Bella Victoria (Violet)

Bonnie Rose Elizabeth (Hunter Dennis)

Cecily Arabella Fairfax (August)

Celeste (Elodie)

Delilah (Darcie)

Eleanor Leila (Edward & Harriet Inez)

Ellie Harriet

Georgia Caley

Hazel Mary (Ava-Rose Patricia)

Ida Mae

Ionie Grace (Ella Rose)

Isabella Catherine "Izzy" (Alexandra Marie "Lexie")

Izzy Rose (Cameron James & Connor William)

Jessie Anne

Lilja Madeleine Rose

Mabel Lily (William & Rupert)

Matilda Nancy

Olivia Else Louise

Olivia Jayne

Ottilie Rosemary

Phoebe Josephine Emma (Tabitha Frances Caroline)

Polly Belle

Poppy Grace (Lily May, Evie Rose & Elsie Iris)

Roselyn Marie

Violet Ava Rose

Violet Rose (Eliza Mary)

Willow Ivy

Willow Theodora (Florence Mary, Oliver Michael & Molly Rose Ghislaine)

 

Twins:

Samuel & Ellora

 

Name of the Week: Roscoe

 

Origin:

Roscoe is an uncommon English surname which heralds specifically from Lancashire. Although one can't be found on the map anymore, it is most likely the surname was a geographical one  taken from one of the many villages or hamlets which did not survive past the 15th century, thanks to the Black Death and land clearances. Roscoe most likely derived from the Old Norse rā "roe deer, roebuck," and skógr "small wood, forest, copse." This is mirrored in Derbyshire's village of Rowland (from Old Norse rā "roe" + lundr "wood) and similar to nearby Thrunscoe (þyrni "thorn" + skógr "wood, forest, copse") in Yorkshire.

Usage:

The earliest attested record of the surname dates from 1293, when a Gilbert Roscoe of Euxton, Lancashire is mentioned in the Wills at Chester. The name continues to be found in parish records in Lancashire through to the 16th century, gradually becoming more widespread around the country.  Data from the Surname Atlas. Click to enlarge. As with all surnames,  Roscoe did have some early use as a given name from the 16th century as a family or godparent surname. Intriguingly, data from the 1881 census shows that use of Roscoe -- very rare as it was -- centred in Lancashire, the origin, and maintained hot-spot of the surname.  In England and Wales, use of Rosco(e) as a given name was very uncommon throughout the 19th century, and even rarer in the 20th century, as births per decade show: 1840s: 7 births 1850s: 8 births 1860s: 13 births 1870s: 25 births 1880s: 19 births 1890s: 29 births 1900s: 21 births 1910s: 16 births 1920s: 8 births 1930s: 4 births 1940s: 4 births 1950s: 8 births 1960s: 16 births In America, on the other hand, Roscoe ranked #152 in 1880, #138 in 1885, #145 in 1890 and #174 in 1895.  One notable bearer -- known to have been a direct namesake for American parents -- is American senator Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888), a Radical Republican who fought against anti-black prejudice. Because of his standing in politics, many babies were named after him in the 1870s, including silent film actor Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (b.1877), educator Roscoe Conkling Bruce (1879), and senators Roscoe Conkling Patterson (b. 1876) and Roscoe Conkling McCulloch (b. 1880). Roscoe remained within the top 200 at the turn of the century, only leaving the US top 300 at the end of the 1920s. The name stayed in the top 1000 right up until 1978.  click to enlarge Up until the last few years, Roscoe remained rare in Britain. Its breezy, hipster surname status has moved it out of obscurity, and it is now on an upward curve.  In 1998, Roscoe ranked #2419 (4 births) and was used intermittently until 2006 when it ranked #1545 (12 births).  The turning point in popularity came in 2013, when it rose to #1339 (18 births) and further to #866 (34 births) in 2014.  In 2015, Roscoe and Rosco both ranked #1234 (1 birth) in Scotland. It did not rank in Northern Ireland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888), American politician. * Roscoe Miller (1876-1913), American Major League Baseball pitcher. * Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle (1877-1933), silent film star. * Roscoe Nicholson (1887-1959), American surveyor and conservationist. * Roscoe Karns (1891-1970), American actor. * Roscoe Holcomb (1912-1981), American singer and musician. Contemporary: * Roscoe Lee Browne (1925-2007), American actor and director. * Roscoe Born (b. 1950), American actor. * Roscoe D'Sane (b. 1980), British footballer. Literature and Other Media: * Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, a character from The Dukes of Hazzard. Other: * Roscoe (2002), a novel by William Kennedy.

Variants:

Rosco, Rosko, Roscow

Pronunciation:

ROS-kō [key]

Possible diminutives:

Ross, Rock, Roe

Sibling Names:

Kinvara     Peony      Sylvie     Everly      Bellamy     Cassia  Beckett     Lennox    Treeve     Lorcan     Keaton     Emmett

Name Lists:

N/A

 

If you like Roscoe you may also like:    Reeve, Macsen, Kester, Reed, Alban, Robson, Hendrix, Cosmo, Saxon, Fintan

 

Thanks to Sarah for requesting this post. 

Name Help: Sibling for Hugo and Myles

Hannah and David are expecting their third child, a brother or sister for their sons Hugo and Myles. Their surname is short, beginning with R. 

Hannah writes: "We have a short list of boys names (although any new ideas and opinions welcome) but when it comes to girls we are totally clueless. I feel like I have been looking for a name I love for so long without any luck and the handful of names I 'like' my husband does not."

Hannah's Favourites:

Margot - Hannah's favourite; Dave hates it.
Flora - Dave dislikes and Hannah worries that the final 'ra' sounds odd with their short 'R' surname.
Xanthe, Arabella, Octavia, Cressida - Hannah likes but worries that they sound "a little 'trying too hard'. Dave dislikes.
Amber, Lola, Bella, Bethany - Hannah likes but doesn't feel they are special enough or are too popular.
Amelie, Lily, Eloise - Likes but is unable to use.

David's Favourites:

Autumn - Dave's favourite; Hannah finds it too common.
Aubrey - Hannah doesn't like the way the 'r' runs into the surname. She likes the nickname Aubs however. 
Zelia - Hannah likes the meaning, and that it was the name of her grandfather's boat when she was little, but is unsure of the 'ze' sound.

Boys' Names:

Angus - Hannah's top choice
Montague/Monty - David's choice.
Ralph - They both like but it doesn't flow well with their surname.
Hannah also likes Rufus, Felix, Xavier, Isodore, Ambrose, Jasper, Barnaby and Chester, but they are either unusable, or Dave dislikes them.

 

Hannah wants a boys' name that fits with their sib-set. For a girl, she feels like the page is blanks, preferring something "unexpected, punchy but wearable."

David describes his taste as wanting uncommon, classy, strong and "a bit posh without sounding pretentious."

 

※    ※    ※    ※

 

 

You have a lovely sibling set already, so I can see why you would want to continue that with another boy. The good thing is, it seems your taste for boys are very similar. For girls, I agree, the field is much wider -- who says siblings have to match perfectly anyhow? -- which gives you so much more scope. The trouble is that makes it harder to pin "the one" down. Let's see if we can find a perfect middle ground. 

 

Girls:

Beatrix –  Classy yet cool. Elegant and edgy. Beatrix for me fits the criteria for strong, uncommon yet wearable. And it isn't just adults who think it. When a young Beatrix joined our Nursery last year, my class of ten-year-olds reacted to it with the words "cool," "great," and "adorable."

Elodie – If Eloise takes your fancy but you are unable to use it, how about the similar, equally stylish, medieval, saintly French choice Elodie?

Zelie – I love the family connection to Zelia and how fresh and bold it is. If you want a softer variant, the French Zelie (properly Zélie) is a sweet alternative.

Bellamy – A striking surname-turned-firstname, derived from the French bel ami "good/beautiful friend." It ties in the same familiar sounds as Bella and Bethany but is far more unexpected and striking. It also has the same surname heritage of Aubrey. 

Romilly – Bellamy brings me to Romilly, a French place name with ties to ancient Rome. It fits the "a bit posh without sounding pretentious" criteria (I think of newsreader Romilly Weeks, or Emma Thompson's daughter Gaia Romilly)  as well as being unexpected yet wearable.

Primrose – A sweet and gentle flower name with plenty of backbone. Prim, Posy and Rosie make for great nickname choices. 

Bryony / Briony – Another stylish botanical choice that, much like Flora, doesn't feel too frilly or too common. 

Emilia – Amelie is out, and Amelia is perhaps too popular, so how about the subtly different Emilia? It's Latin roots give it a chic continental feel.

Sylvie – An elegant vintage gem, softer than antique and upright Sylvia yet with just as much strength and style.

Adele / Adela – Both Adele and Adela are elegant, ladylike choices. Uncommon yet familiar.   

Tessa – Not as heavy as Theresa but with just as much history and drama. The shorter Tess is equally sweet and unexpected. 

Lydia – Sitting at #94, Lydia is the most common choice on this list. Yet, having never made it "big", it doesn't feel overdone or too popular, just classic and elegant.

Lois – Very similar in sound to Lola, sweet biblical Lois works well for a girl in the same unexpectedly antique way that Bonnie and Olive do.

Fearne / Fern - A nature name which is pretty without being fussy.

Aoife - A striking Irish choice meaning "radiance, beauty" with roots back to ancient mythology. Aoife is a name that people take notice of. The spelling can be daunting, but the good news is its becoming much more familiar to English -speakers with each passing year, joining the likes of Siobhan and Sinead.

Willa - Willa has the same soft feminine charm as Ella, Lila and Mila, but as a feminine form of William, it also has a strength and determined lilt. 

Cassia - Considered either a feminine form of the stately Roman name Cassius, or taken directly from the sweet-smelling cassia plant, Cassia has all the key ingredients of a successful girls' name yet is still relatively undiscovered. 

Amaya - A striking yet accessible Spanish name, also spelled Amaia. Pretty with a dash of drama. 

Everly - In the same vein as surname-turned-firstname Aubrey, how about Everly? Similar to top 50 favourites Evie, Eva and Evelyn but with a stylish, edgy twist.

 

Boys:

I think you have a fantastic set of boys names to choose from. Had you not told me your favourites, Angus, Monty and Ralph would definitely have been on my list to add to Hugo and Myles. I have little to add except these few suggestions for you to consider:

 

Rafferty – Ralph is such a great name in your sibset. It's such a shame that it doesn't work well with your surname. With that in mind, how about refined Rafferty? The nicknames Rafe or Raffi get you close to Ralph (you could even use Ralph as a nickname at a push) but with a longer formal name to balance your surname. 

Bennett – It seems like just a surname, but before it was, Bennett was a given name in Britain -- the medieval vernacular form of Benedict. In my mind,this gives Bennett the same stylish, medieval credentials that Hugo and Myles share. 

Fletcher – Sticking with the medieval knight theme brings me to Fletcher, a modern-sounding name which harkens back to the heroic archers of the Middle Ages. 

Digby – Monty's charm, refinement and adorable-factor also makes me think of Digby, the name of a notable aristocratic family which has long been used as a given name.

Fraser – Like Angus, Fraser is a solidly handsome name with ties to a Scottish clan.

 

I hope this has been useful. Please keep us updated!

 

UK Birth Announcements 14/3/16 - 20/3/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Caspar Piers Arthur (Charles Alexander "Charlie) 

Elliott Peter (Evelyn Kate)

Ethan William David

Finlay Kerr (Brooke Mae & Taylor James)

Frankey Jake (Bailey, Harvey, Kacey, Alfie, Olly & Joey)

Josh Stewart Andrew

Jude Zander (Daisy)

Kai Raiden (Mackenzie John, Skyla Bo & Nevaeh Shaye)

Matthew Andrew (James)

Matthew James (Erin)

Maximilian Henry Charles

Montague Robert Wyndham (Josephine Mary Aurelia)

Myles Craig (Ava Annabella)

Nicholas Phillip (Samuel Richard & Thomas Edward)

Teodoro George Oscar

Thomas Anthony

 

Girls:

Adeline Belle (Toby Owen Michael)

Alexandra Luna Molly

Arabella Ludmilla

Ava May (Kayden)

Catrin Jennifer

Christabel Alexandra Lully Gordon (Ivo Alexander Ninian & Johnny David Nehemiah Gordon)

Eilidh (Murray)

Ella James

Ellis Bleu

Esme Leah (Fia & Seth)

Georgia Octavia Theodora

Gracie Ivy (Evie Alice)

Hetty Rose Rook

Isabelle Rose (Amelia)

Julia Grace

Leusa Jên (Mati Nel)

Madeleine Grace (Elena & Jack)

Martha Emily (Theobald James "Theo")

Mollie Elizabeth (Lucas John)

Poppy Louise

Safron Mai (Ashley & Ebonie)

Violet Ava Rose 

 

 

Name of the Week: Pamela

 

 

Origin:

Pamela is a name which was coined in pastoral poetry in the late 16th century -- a literary movement which coined many names (Anthea, Clorinda, Miranda, Celia, Samela) in an attempt to emulate classical Greek and Roman poetry. Pamela appears first in Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia (1590) which centres around Basilius, the Duke of Arcadia, his wife Gynecia and their beautiful daughters Pamela and Philoclea.  The names used in this works are all reworkings of, or inspired by, legitimate names from ancient Greece. Though Pamela itself was not in use by the Greeks, similar names such as Pamillos*, and Pamphilos, Pamphila (pan "all" + philos "love"), Pamphoros (pan "all" + phoros "bearing") were in use.  It is generally thought that Sidney intended the name to mean 'all-sweetness,' from pan "all" + meli "honey" but that is purely conjecture. In Sidney's Arcadia, the name Pamela was accented as Pamēla, giving the pronunciation pə-MEE-lə.

Usage:

Arcadia had some impact in introducing Pamela as a genuine given name. A handful of baptisms for Pamela can be found across the country in the 17th century, but overall it was rare.  That changed dramatically with the publication of Samuel Richardson's novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), which told the story of Pamela Andrews, a young innocent maid in a wealthy household whose employer attempts to seduce her. Pamela's virtue holds out, and in the end her employer proposes an equitable marriage. It was a sell-out novel -- the first example in English fiction -- so popular it created a "Pamela phenomenon," spurning artwork, imitation novels and merchandise such as tea cups, wax dolls and playing cards. It was widely read in groups and congregations, and was even recommended from the pulpit by Dr. Benjamin Slocock of St. Saviour’s in Southwark.  In January 1741, The Gentleman's Magazine declared that it was "judged in Town as great a Sign of Want of Curiosity not to have read Pamela, as not to have seen the French and Italian Dancers." It was even common for ladies to walk around with copies of Pamela to show everyone that they had read it.* The impact of the novel on nomenclature is also marked, as many baptisms for Pamelas suddenly appear in parish records after 1740 as part of the "Pamela frenzy" which swept the nation.  It appears that during the 18th century, there was some debate over the pronunciation, as some were still using Sidney's pronunciation of Pamēla (pə-MEE-lə), while Richardson adopted and inspired the pronunciation Paměla (pə-MEL-ə).  In Henry Fielding's novel Joseph Andrews (1842) -- written during the Pamela-phenomenon as a direct response and parody of Richardson's work -- it says: "For that they had a Daughter of a very strange Name Paměla or Pamēla; some pronounced it one way, and some the other." In one of the footnotes of The Life of Samuel Johnson (1787) by Sir John Hawkins he writes: "Pamela is the name of a lady, one of the principal characters in Sir Philip Sidney's “Arcadia,” and is thus accented Pamēla. [...] But Richardson, whether through ignorance or design, and also all his female pupils, constantly pronounced it Paměla." It is unclear how far into the 19th century these pronunciations continued, but by the 20th century the name became predominantly pronounced PAM-ə-lə with the stress on the first syllable. Data from the Surname Atlas. Click to enlarge. During the 19th century, the Pamela craze had died down a bit.  Data from the 1881 UK census puts Pamela as the 560th most popular name (male and female names included together). It also shows that the name was most common in England with very little use in Scotland.  The turning point for the name came at the beginning of the 20th century, as births per decade in England and Wales show: 1840s: 526 births 1850s: 760 births 1860s: 700 births -- #153 in 1860 1870s: 672 births -- #175 in 1870 1880s: 513 births 1890s: 424 births 1900s: 552 births 1910s: 2075 births 1920s: 18516 births 1930s: 46267 births 1940s: 59003 births Click to enlarge. By 1924, Pamela had entered the top 100 at #60. It rose to #20 in 1934, and #17 in 1944. It dipped a little to #21 in 1954 and then further, to #67, in 1964, after which it fell out of the top 100.  In 1996 and 1997, Pamela was just within the top 1000 in England and Wales with 24 babies registered in each year. After that point it fell below the top 1000, and after 2008 fell below the top 2000.  In 2014, Pamela ranked #2862 (8 births) in England and Wales. In Scotland, Pamela ranked #1584 (1 birth) in 2015. The name did not rank in Northern Ireland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Lady Edward FitzGerald (c.1773–1831), wife radical revolutionary Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Known as "Pamela." * Pamela Brown (1917–1975), English actress. Contemporary: * Lady Pamela Hicks (b. 1929), British aristocrat and member of the royal family. * Pamela Duncan (b. 1961), American novelist. * Pamela Anderson (b. 1967), Canadian-American actress. Literature and Other Media: * Pamela Andrews, heroine of Samuel Richardson's novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740–41) * Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley aka Poison Ivy, DC Comics supervillain.

Variants:

Pamelia, Pamila

Pronunciation:

PAM-ə-lə [key] pə-MEE-lə (17th century); pə-MEL-ə (18th century)

Possible  diminutives:

Pam, Pammy, Melly, Melia, Polly

Sibling Names:

Cynthia     Gillian    Kathleen     Rosemary     Joanna     Roberta  Raymond     Grant     Clinton     Gregory     Martin     Duncan

Name Lists:

Resurrected Retro  Names from Enid Blyton  Butterfly Names

  

If you like Pamela you may also like:   Anthea, Pomona, Monica, Deborah, Poppaea, Patricia, Mabel, Paloma, Daphne, Vanessa

 

Thanks to Arabella for requesting this post. 

Vibrant Russian

This name list was inspired by a Name Help post where mum Isolde was looking for a "unique and vibrant" name for her daughter, and dad Constantine liked Slavic names to honour his Russian heritage. 
Thus, a "vibrant Russian" category was born, and Minnie liked it so much, that she requested this name list. 

In my mind, vibrant Russian names are choices which translate well for English-speakers yet still feel exotic and intriguing. 

Some are traditional Russian staples where others are taken from vocabulary or things associated with Russian. This isn't a reflection on names used by Russians or traditional Russian names, more an attempt to find exotic, mellifluous, Russian-inspired choices.

 

Alexei Ardalion Arkady Artem Attik Avit Demyan Efrem Feofan Gleb Gratsian Ilia Ivan Kassian Kazimir Khariton Kiprian Kirion

Kirsan Konstantin Korvin Larion Lazar Leonid Lev Luka Makari Maksim Milan Miron Morfey Naum Nazar Nestor Nikodim Nikolai

Radomir Rodion Rolan Rufin Rurik Ruslan Rustem Ruvim Spartak Vadim Valentin Varlam Volk Voron Zakhar Zakhey Zefir Ziven

Aelita Agnessa Alesya Aliona Anastasia Annushka Arisha Avdotya Azaliya Dalida Danica Daria Dasha Dinara Ekaterina Elizaveta Evgenia Feba

Fenya Feya Ilaria Ilyena Inessa Izida Kassiopeya Ksenia Larissa Lelya Lilia Loreleya Malenkaya Marenka Marisha Milaya Molinya Nadezhda

Natalya Oksana Olenka Olesia Raisa Roksana Sova Tatiana Varvara Varenka Verusha Zaria Zhanna Zhenya Zima Zinaida Zinovia Zoya

 

As a point of interest, Isolde and Constantine chose the gorgeous name Rosalind Zima Larissa "Rose" for their daughter. 

 

Top 100 Most Popular Names in Scotland 2015

Following on from the provisional list for Scotland's top 100 names in 2015 which was released last December, here are the official statistics for the whole of 2015. 

According to the National Records of Scotland, the  #1 names in 2015 were none movers Emily (for the second year running) and Jack (#1 since 2008). 

 

 

Top 100 Boys' Names 2015			.	Top 100 Girls' Names 2015
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11= 11= 13 14 15 16 17= 17= 19 20= 20= 22 23= 23= 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44= 44= 46 47= 47= 49 50 51= 51= 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61= 61= 63 64 65= 65= 67= 67= 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79= 79= 81= 81= 83 84= 84= 86 87 88= 88= 90 91= 91= 91= 94= 94= 94= 97 98 99 100= 100= 100=	Jack Oliver James Lewis Alexander Charlie Lucas Logan Harris Daniel Finlay Jacob Leo Mason Noah Harry Alfie Max Callum Aaron Adam Thomas Ethan Rory Cameron Archie Oscar Matthew Nathan Joshua Brodie William Liam Ryan Jamie Harrison Joseph Dylan Samuel Riley David Ollie Andrew Connor Luke Muhammad Jaxon Kyle Benjamin Michael Caleb Jackson George Finn Leon Fraser Murray Jake John Arran Angus Cole Robert Cooper Isaac Jayden Aiden Kai Theo Jude Ben Tyler Ruaridh Owen Blake Freddie Euan Josh Blair Robbie Hamish Kian Sam Aidan Jay Christopher Reuben Cody Luca Lachlan Elliot Evan Sonny Calum Henry Rhys Carson Harvey Calvin Callan Ross Zac	565 448 416 371 349 342 316 311 306 282 277 277 275 271 265 258 249 249 248 242 242 240 233 233 221 216 209 202 198 197 193 181 176 172 168 167 160 158 157 156 155 150 145 144 144 141 136 136 133 131 129 129 127 125 123 122 121 120 119 115 114 114 112 110 108 108 107 107 106 105 103 98 97 95 94 93 92 88 85 85 84 84 83 81 81 80 78 76 76 75 72 72 72 70 70 70 69 68 66 65 65 65		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17= 17= 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26= 26= 28 29 30 31 32 33= 33= 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42= 42= 42= 45 46= 46= 48 49 50 51 52 53= 53= 55= 55= 57= 57= 57= 60 61 62 63= 63= 65 66 67 68= 68= 70= 70= 72= 72= 74 75 76 77 78= 78= 80= 80= 82= 82= 84 85 86= 86= 86= 89 90 91 92 93= 93= 95 96= 96= 98 99= 99=	Emily Sophie Olivia Isla Jessica Ava Amelia Ella Lucy Lily Grace Chloe Freya Ellie Millie Emma Anna Eva Sophia Mia Charlotte Eilidh Ruby Hannah Aria Evie Georgia Poppy Erin Katie Holly Orla Layla Skye Rosie Harper Maisie Leah Zoe Daisy Amber Amy Hollie Isabella Niamh Molly Robyn Alice Sofia Lilly Maya Lacey Rebecca Scarlett Lexi Willow Abigail Brooke Esme Lola Paige Gracie Emilia Mila Zara Megan Abbie Kayla Sienna Ivy Summer Cara Thea Imogen Sarah Rose Ayla Bella Mya Elizabeth Rachel Iona Julia Elsie Amelie Darcy Lauren Mollie Arianna Eve Matilda Caitlin Beth Maria Phoebe Heidi Hope Ariana Georgie Sadie	497 468 452 419 357 354 352 341 317 279 255 254 245 238 225 224 223 223 220 212 209 208 201 180 179 167 167 161 160 159 157 149 144 144 134 128 126 124 122 119 113 112 112 112 106 104 104 98 96 93 92 90 89 89 88 88 87 87 87 85 84 82 79 79 78 77 76 75 75 74 74 72 72 71 70 67 66 64 64 63 63 62 62 61 60 59 59 59 58 56 55 54 52 52 51 49 49 48 47 47

 

The statistics on this page are supplied by the National Records of Scotland.
These tables were coded and formatted by me.

UK Birth Announcements 7/3/16 - 13/3/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Alexander Ian Stewart

Arlen Luca (Aidan & Amelia Louise)

Ceian Dewi

Charles Frederic Crawford (Harriet Mary Armour)

Edward Michael Gray

Elliott Peter (Evelyn Kate)

Ethan Douglas Gordon (Brodie)

Eric David

Gabriel Anthony

Hamish Eric

Harry Francis

Hector Sylvester

John Henry Guy (Agatha Olive "Aggie" & Jessica Kate Juliette)

Leo Edmund

Luke Cameron Kerr (Olivia)

Mason Gene

Montgomery David Lawrence

Nedw Bryn (Caio Bryn)

Phoenix Vivyan Peter Hope (Farleigh Elizabeth Winefride)

Raefe Alexander Glen

Rory Thomas

Rupert Andrew (Cecilia Rose & John William Arnold)

Theodore Harry Ronald

Theodore Joseph

Thomas Edward

Toby Phillip William (Charles Edward Riesco "Charlie")

Wilfred Edgar (Olive Edith)

Wilfred Ellis William

William Massey

 

Girls:

Alexandra Elizabeth Rose

Annabelle Marie

Annabella Michelle

Belle Rose

Camilla Sloane

Cecily Grace Diana

Claudia Ruth Maria

Ebony Arabella (Esmae Ariana)

Emily Rose (Lucy)

Evie Olivia

Hannah Olivia

Iris Ursula Seraphina Clementine (Sienna Araminta Elizabeth Alice & Aurelia Autumn Ottilie Velvet)

Jemima Grey

Lexi-Willow (Lily Ann)

Lily Caroline

Matilda Frances Cromwell (Frederick Thomas Basil "Freddie" & Oscar Charles Leigh)

Mia Grace

Niamh Harper

Olivia Jane

Ophelia Genevieve (Cecily Georgiana)

Primrose Penelope Lavinia

Scarlett Lily

Sophie Catherine Lloyd (Eleanor Kitty Lloyd "Ellie")

Sylvie Beatrice Selina

Zoe Ann

 

Twins:

Edie Isla & Nell Madeleine

Pippa Catherine Dilly & Thomas Charles (Alexander George)

 

 

Name of the Week: Tate

 

Origin:

Tate is an English surname derived from the Old English name Tata which appears in several place names in Britain including Tatenhill "Tata's hill," Tatham "Tata's homestead," Tattenhall "Tata's nook of land" and Tatsfield "Tata's field."  It isn't clear what the name means. It may simply be the Old English tata "father," or it could be from the reconstructed *tāt "glad, cheerful, happy," derived from the Saxon tēt. The Old Norse cognate teitr "happy, glad, merry," was certainly used as a Scandinavian given name. The name Teitr appears for more than one characters in the epic Icelandic saga Landnamabok. "Tat" also appears as a prototheme in other Old English names such as Tatberht, Tatfrith, Tatnoth and Tatwine.  The name is now most famous for being the name of the British modern art gallery, the Tate Modern, which was named after its founder Sir Henry Tate (1819-1899), a sugar merchant and philanthropist.

Usage:

Æthelburh of Kent (b. 605), queen of Northumbria was, according to Bede, known also as Tate, which was perhaps a byname given to her meaning "cheerful." The Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE) lists four men with the name Tata: a landowner in Berkshire (fl. 900-904), a minister (fl. 882), a bishop (fl. 879x908) and a priest (fl. 900-909).  The surname was used from at least the 11th century. An Uluric Tates is listed in the Feudal Documents of Bury St Edmund's c.1095 and Nicholas Tate is recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279. As with all surnames, Tate became used as a given name as an adoption of a family surname. As Tate is a relatively uncommon surname, examples are few in number.  The 1881 census puts Tate as the 769th most common surname in the UK and Tait at #480. Tate was particularly common in Yorkshire and surrounding counties, while Tait was more common in Scotland. As the distribution map (right) shows, there is a direct correlation between areas where the surname and the given name were used. The given name was not especially popular. From 1837 to 1975, Tate was registered 40 times as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index.  In the last two decades however, Tate has been steadily rising. Firstly, it fits the fashion for adopting surnames as first names, and secondly, it's short, punchy vowel sounds fits other fashionable favourites such as Jake, Luke, Jude, Kyle and Reece.  In 1996, Tate ranked #728 (21 births) for boys and #2350 (6 births) for girls in England and Wales. For girls, the name has ranked much the same of the last two decades, peaking at #1269 (17 births) in 2003.  For boys, however, the name has been gradually (though at first intermittently) rising. It's largest rise has been since 2010. This may have been in part, thanks to former Spice Girl Emma Bunton naming her second son Tate Lee in May 2010.  In 2014, Tate ranked #305 (150 births) for boys and #4684 (4 births) for girls in England and Wales.  In Scotland, Tate ranked #399 (8 births) for boys and #1534 (1 birth) for girls.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Nahum Tate (1652–1715), English poet and dramatist.  * Sir Henry Tate (1819-1899), a sugar merchant and philanthropist.  * Cullen Tate (1886-1947), American director. Contemporary: * Jeffrey Tate CBE (b. 1943), British conductor. Literature and Other Media: * Tate Langdon, principle character in American Horror Story portrayed by Evan Peters. Other: * Tate, a group of public art galleries in Britain.

Variants:

Tait, Taite

Pronunciation:

TAYT [key]

Possible diminutives:

N/A

Sibling Names:

Sienna      Lilia     Eden      Lyra      Arya     Erin       Wyatt     Zephyr    Flynn     Arlo     Lex     Vaughn

Name Lists:

Short and Sweet

 

If you like Tate you may also like:    Quinn, Archer, Kai, Beau, Nico, Jago, Blaise, Seth, Boyd, Grey

 

Thanks to Angelica for requesting this post. 

The Most Popular Irish Boys' Names in Northern Ireland

 

 

We've already seen the stats for the most popular names in Northern Ireland in 2015 and the good old English favourites James, Jack, Emily and Ella reign. There are also plenty of lists of "Irish Names" floating around the internet, and we often look at how popular they are in England, America or elsewhere in the Western world. But, I often think, what are the most popular Irish names used currently in their native homeland?

I am using data from Northern Ireland rather than the Republic of Ireland for two reasons. Firstly, NI has a wider range of official data where Ireland only lists the top 100. Secondly, well...this blog is called British baby names, so it makes sense. 

 

Conor [KON-ə]

The most popular "Irish" name in the chart, at #17, is Conor which has been in the top 10 twelve times since 1997. It is also the most popular "Irish" name in Ireland, having ranked in the top 5 there since 1998.

Conor and Connor are actually the anglicised forms of the old Irish name Conchobhar which was popular in the middle ages and borne by several Irish kings and nobles. It was famously borne by Conchobhar mac Nessa, the legendary King of Ulster in Irish mythology. The origin is unclear. The first element could derive from either the Proto-Celtic *kwon "hound, dog" or *kuno "high"; the second could be from *kar-o "love" or *barro "point, top."

The spelling Connor ranks #102 and Conchur (the modern spelling of Conchobhar) is #342. 

Oisín [OSH-een]

Oisín was a great poet and warrior in Irish legend, son of the mighty Finn MacCool, whose mother was transformed into a deer both before and after his birth. Appropriately, the name derives from the Irish os "deer" with the diminutive suffix -in -- therefore "little deer."

Oisin ranks #19 in Northern Ireland and #13 in Ireland.

Ryan [RĪ-ən]

Ranking at #21, Ryan is an anglicised form of the Irish surname O'Riain meaning "descendant of Rian." 

Rian may derive from ri "king" + diminutive suffix -an ("little king") or rian "sea, course, route." Though the former is the most popular etymology, the latter is now gaining more weight. The oldest recorded form of the surname is O'Maoilriain meaning "descendant of Maolrian." The first element maol "devotee, follower," was often attached to either names of saints or earlier pagan gods, so it is quite likely Rian was the name of an ancient water god.

Cillian [KIL-ee-ən]

Cillian ranks at #25 and variant spelling Killian at #179. Both rank in Ireland's top 100 (#20 and #80 respectively). 

Cillian is the anglicised form of Ceallachán [KAL-əkh-awn] -- also the route of the surname Callaghan -- which itself was an Old Irish diminutive form of Ceallach. It was originally thought that Ceallach was derived from ceall "church" but is more likely to be cenn "head" and luach "bright, value, worth."

Darragh [DAR-ə]

Ranking at #31, Darragh and alternate spellings Dara (#100), Daire (#102) and Daragh (#222) derives either from the Old Irish dair "oak" or dáir "bulling"/ dairid "to bull." In Irish mythology, Daire mac Fiachna owned the Brown Bull of Cooley, and his refusal to loan his bull to Queen Medb was part of the reason for the fight between Ulster and Connacht. It was likely the name of an ancient god of bull/fertility or of the oak tree. 

Shea [SHAY]

Shea (#33) and Shay (#201) are Irish surnames, shortened from O'Shea (Ó Séaghdha). The Old Irish seaghdha "learned" (from seagh "regard, esteem, strength") was first used as a byname and later became a surname.

Finn

This legendary Irish name Finn ranks #37 with indigenous spelling Fionn at #43. It was borne by the heroic Finn MacCool of Irish mythology and derives from the Gaelic fionn "white, shining." 

Both names are top 50 favourites in Ireland as well -- Fionn at #26 and Finn #32. 

Ronán [RŌ-nən / RŌ-nawn]

An Irish staple, derived from rón "seal" + -an ("little seal"), made known to the rest of Britain thanks to Boyzone's Ronan Keating.

Ronan ranks at #37 in NI and #64 in Ireland -- very close to its 1964 rank at #67. 

Oscar [OS-gə]

Ostensibly, Oscar derives from the Old Irish os "deer" and cara "friend; lover of" though it could be Germanic in origin, brought early to Ireland by the Vikings. Oscar appears in Irish mythology as the grandson of Finn MacCool and was used in the middle ages, particularly picking up with the fame of Oscar Wilde. 

Oscar ranks #40 in NI and #46 in Ireland. 

Sean [SHAWN]

The Irish Gaelic form of John, in use as a given name in its own right since the 19th century. It ranks #40 in Northern Ireland while it is #5 in Ireland, having been in the top 5 there for a decade. 

Eoin [Ō-in]

Another Gaelic form of John (more directly from the Latin form Johannes) which is used in both Ireland and Scotland. It ranks #47 in NI and #46 in Ireland. 

Odhrán [O-rən / O-rawn]

Ranking #49 in NI and #66 in Ireland, Odhran is an early Irish name borne by several saints, including one who preceded St Columba as bishop of Iona. It derives from odhar "pale, dun-coloured" + -an.

The anglicised spelling Oran ranks #142. 

Liam [LEE-əm]

Liam is a longstanding Irish shortform of William, in use as a name in its own right since the 19th century. It ranks #54 in NI and #15 in Ireland (a rise from its rank of #54 in 1964). 

Conán [KŌ-nən / KŌ-nawn]

As with Connor, Conán is an old Celtic name, derived from wither the Proto-Celtic *kwon "hound, dog" or *kuno "high" with the diminutive -an suffix. It was borne by at least six Irish saints and two members of the fianna warrior band in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. It ranks #64 in NI but not in Ireland's top 100. 

Caolán [KEE-lən / KEE-lawn / KWEE-lawn /KAY-lən] -- this one has many regional variations. 

An old Irish name, borne by two early saints, derived from caol "slender" + diminutive suffix -an. 

Caolan ranks #67 and variants Caelan and Keelan rank #159 and #222 respectively. 

Cian [KEE-ən]

Made more widely famous by Westlife's Kian Egan, Cian ranks #67 in NI and #18 in Ireland. Spelling variant Kian ranks at #126. 

The name derives from cian meaning "ancient, enduring" which was borne by several figures in Irish legend. 

Cormac [KAW-mak]

A very popular name in early Ireland, which was borne by saints and several figures in Irish legend. Cormac now ranks at #67 in NI and #76 in Ireland. 

The meaning is unclear. It could be related to the Old French corb "raven" or cairb "charioteer" with the diminutive suffic -ac. An alternate theory is that it derives from the obscure early literary name Corbb (possibly from corbbaid "defiles") combined with mac "son of."

Lorcán [LAW-kən / LAW-kawn]

Borne by two early Irish kings, and deriving from the Old Irish lorcc "fierce," Lorcan ranks #71 in NI and #100 in Ireland.

Aodhán [AY-dən / AY-dawn]

A very common Irish name since the early Middle Ages. It has been borne by over twenty Irish saints, notable St Aidan of Lindisfarne who converted most of Northern England. It is a diminutive of Aodh (Aed) "fire," a name found frequently in Irish myth and legend. 

Aodhan ranks #72, Aidan #89, Aiden #201 and Aodan #415. 

Dáithí [DA-hee]

Thought to derive from the Old Irish daith "swift, nimble." It ranks at #77 in Northern Ireland but doesn't rank in Ireland's top 100. 

Rory [RAW-ree]

The anglicised form of the Gaelic name Ruaidhri, derived from ruadh "red" and ri "king."

Rory ranks #80 in NI and #66 in Ireland. The variant Ruairi ranks #118 and #93 in each country respectively.

Cody [KŌ-dee]

The anglicised form of the Irish surnames Ó Cuidighthigh "descendant of a helpful person" and Mac Óda "son of Oda." It isn't clear what Oda means, but some believe it is an early Irish form of the Germanic name Otto/Odo.

Cody ranks #95 in NI. 

Niall [NĪ-əl]

Ranking #95 in NI and #91 in Ireland, Niall is an ancient name of Irish legend. 

The name's etymology is unclear. It could derive from nial "cloud," niadh "honour, veneration," or niach "champion."

Ciarán [KEER-ən / KEER-awn]

Ciaran ranks at #97 and anglicised form Kieran ranks #201. It is a diminutive form of Ciar "dark, black, shadowy," and in use since the early medieval period.

Eoghán [Ō-ən]

Eoghan is a truly ancient name, the Irish cognate to Welsh Owen and Scottish Ewan. For years it has been connected with the Greek Eugenios "well born," but now scholars favour a Celtic origin. 

The name ranks #100 in NI and #56 in Ireland. 

Conall [KON-əl]

An old Irish name, with even deeper ancient Celtic origins. The first element is either the Proto-Celtic *kwon "hound, dog" or *kuno "high." The second is walo "prince, chief."

Conall ranks #117 and Conal is #156. 

Padraig [PAW-rig]

The Irish Gaelic form of Patrick, itself from the Latin Patricius "nobleman."

The "English" form Patrick ranks #29, Padraig is #121 and the phonetic Pauric is #415. 

Caoimhín [KEE-vin (NI) / KWEE-vin (Ir) / KEE-veen]

Caoimhín is the middle Irish form of the Old Irish Caemgen, borne by two early Irish saints. The name derives from caem "beautiful, loveliness, grace, gentleness, tender, beloved" and gein "birth."

The name was anglicised as Kevin (which ranks at #139), while Caoimhín ranks #133. 

Cahir [KA-heer]

Cahir is a phonetic form of the Old Irish Cathair (Cathaoir in modern Irish Gaelic). The name is made up of cath "battle" and fer "man" e.g. "battle-lord" or "warrior."

Cahir ranks #150, Cathair #222 and Cathaoir #237. 

Flynn [FLIN]

The anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Floinn meaning "decendant of Flann." Flann itself is a Old Irish name derived from flann "blood red, dark red, crimson." It was quite a popular early Irish name, borne by many notable men and even a few women.

Flynn ranks at #150. 

Tiernan [TEER-nən / TEER-nawn]

Tiernan is the anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Tighearnain meaning "descendant of Tighearnán." Tighearnán itself derives from tighearna "lord, chief" with the diminutive suffix -án.

Tiernan ranks #159 and the modern Irish form Tiarnán ranks #201. 

Senán [SEN-ən / SEN-awn]

The name of several early Irish saints, traditionally derived from sen "old" + -án. Senan ranks #166 in NI and #60 in Ireland.

Cathal [KA-hal]

Like Cathair, Cathal derives from cath "battle" combined with val "rule, leader." This makes it cognate with the Welsh Cadwal/Cadwallon. 

Cathal ranks #169, while the phonetic form Cahal ranks #415. In Ireland Cathal ranks #69. 

Enda [EN-də]

Enda is the anglicised form of the early Irish name Énna (modern Éanna), borne by early kings and a saint. The name is thought to derive from ean "bird."

Enda ranks #169.

Finlay [FIN-lee]

Finlay and Finley are the anglicised forms of the old Irish name Findláech (modern Fionnlagh), derived from the Old Irish find "white, bright" and láech "one who carries arms, warrior, hero."

Finlay ranks #169 and Finley ranks #187. 

Rossa [ROS-ə]

Rossa is a name which seems to have recently come into fashion in Northern Ireland, though it was used in the 15th and 16th century as a genitive form of Ross. Ross is a Celtic place name, found in Ireland and elsewhere in the Celtic-speaking world, which derives from the Proto-Celtic *frosso "height, elevated land."

Both Rossa and Ross rank jointly at #169 in Northern Ireland. 

Rowan [RŌ-ən]

Rowan itself isn't specifically Irish; it is a name of the mountain-ash tree. It has for a long time, however, been used as an anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin meaning "descendant of Ruadhán." 

Ruadhán itself was derived from ruadh "red" + the diminutive suffix -án. 

Rowan ranks #179 and Ruadhan is #319. 

Donal [DŌ-nəl]

Donal is a modern form of the Old Irish Domnall / Domhnall, a popular name in early Ireland. Its origins lie in the Proto-Celtic*dubno "deep, world" and *walo "prince, chief."

Donal ranks #187.

Donnacha [DON-ə-kə]

An old Irish name, derived from donn "brown, brown-haired," and cath "battle."

Donnacha ranks #211, and Donncha and Donnchadh tie at #314. 

Faolán [FEE-lən (NI) / FEE-lawn / FAY-lən / FWEE-lən (Ir.)]

The modern Irish form of the ancient Irish name Fáelán, derived from fáel "wolf" and the diminutive suffix -án. 

Faolan ranks #222. 

 

 

Note:

Names ending in -an can either be pronounced 'ən' or 'awn' depending on whether there is a fada over the a. The fada elongates the 'a' sound.

Where there is more than one pronunciation listed this is due to regional variations. 'OA' for example can be an 'ee', 'ay', 'wee' or 'way' sound. For example, Caoimhin is KEE-vin in Northern Ireland and KWEE-vin in Ireland.